Dragon Of The South
by AvatarNia
Summary: When Iroh sees how much Azula is suffering under her father's rule, he calls in a favour from an old friend and arranges to send his niece to live in the Southern Water Tribe. Just how much will Azula's story change if she grows up in a completely different environment? Read to find out.
1. Prologue

The second Azula walked into the grand dining room of the Fire Nation Royal Palace, Iroh knew something was wrong. For starters, she was thirty minutes late. Azula was never late.

She was covered in light scratches and burns and her legs looked like they could give out from under her at any moment. She sat down at her place, mumbled a quiet 'good evening' and dug into her dumplings.

Well, that was new.

Azula was never quiet with her greetings. She was always loud and clear so everybody would know that the princess has graced them with her presence. Taking in her burns, Iroh came to a conclusion.

Ozai was overtraining her. Again.

While Iroh was always patient when training his son, who sadly died during the siege of Ba Sing Se a few months ago, Ozai was the complete opposite. He trained Azula until she either passed out or could perform all her firebending moves perfectly. Whichever one came first.

While Iroh was in deep thought, Zuko excused himself, as he was finished with dinner, and Azula was so tired that she fell asleep right in her spot.

That's when an idea came to the old firebender. He couldn't let his brother keep training the eight year old. She would become a war weapon by the time she turns fourteen. He needed to do something about it.

After gently carrying Azula to her bedroom and tucking her in, Iroh returned to his own quarters. He had an important letter to write.

Sitting down at his desk, Iroh took out some parchment and dipped his brush into the ink.

Dear Kanna,

I am aware that I haven't written to you in a while. Things have been rather hectic with Fire Lord Azulon's death and my sister-in-law's disappearance.

Do you remember, how long ago, when we were just young teenagers, I helped you cross the occupied parts of the Earth Kingdom, and you said that you were forever in my debt?

Well, I think it's time to remember that promise.

You see, I have noticed that my niece has been exhausted quite a lot lately. The cause of it is my brother, Ozai. He has been overtraining her after her mother left. It's not healthy.

At this rate, she will become a heartless war machine, bent on winning the war for the Fire Nation. That is a fate I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

Kanna, I want you to take her in and raise her at the South Pole, away from her father's influence. It would be better for her and for our world.

Please, consider this.

Iroh.

Silently praying to Agni that Kanna would agree to his proposal, he sent the letter off with a messenger hawk.

After two weeks the hawk returned with a response.

Iroh,

Of course I remember you helping me. I could never forget the person who helped me escape from the life I didn't want.

I have talked over the issue with my son, Hakoda. He is a very family oriented man and agrees that the young girl needs to be taken away from her father. We decided to take her in.

I have two grandchildren around her age, and the village is filled with other children. She is going to have to take part in the chores, and shouldn't expect the princess treatment. Everyone is equal down in the South.

Be sure to write me the date when we should be expecting you.

Kanna.

Kanna has agreed to take in Azula, but a difficult part of the plan remains. Get Azula to agree to live with Kanna.

The next day, Iroh arrived at Azula's chambers. He entered, after knocking politely.

Azula was at her desk, practicing calligraphy. She didn't look up until Iroh coughed to get her attention.

"Hello, Uncle. What brings you to my room?" Asked Azula, ever so polite. Just like a perfect princess.

"As much as I enjoy small talk, I need to discuss a serious issue with you."

That seemed to get her attention.

"Even though you try to hide it, I know that you are suffering under your father. He trains you too hard. You may think that it will make you stronger, but it will only make you more cold and cruel. Things need to change"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Defended the young princess. "Father loves me and always wants the best for me."

"Just hear me out, Princess Azula. I have a friend in the South Pole. I have arranged for you to go live with her, and…"

"I don't want to hear it! I have no interest in living with a bunch of water savages! I am perfectly happy here. If that's all you wanted, I have to get back to my calligraphy." And with that, Iroh left the room.

This would be harder than I thought

For the next two weeks, Iroh attempted to persuade the girl, bringing up different points each day. But Azula didn't give in easily. She had an answer to all of his arguments, and brought up better points as to why she should stay in the Fire Nation.

It almost seemed like there was no hope left for the girl, until one day, she came into the dining room, poorly attempting to conceal her limp. After dinner, he followed her to the library, where she needed to get a book on Fire Nation history, for a school assignment.

"Azula."

The princess jumped at the sound of her uncle's voice. "If you are here to try to talk me into living with the Southern barbarians, you're wasting your time."

"That's not why I'm here, Azula. I just wanted to ask the reason you're limping." The girl froze, and a light smirk crossed Iroh's face.

"There was a wet floor in the school hallway. I slipped and fell." The girl was a good liar, but not good enough.

"Don't lie to me, Princess Azula." Said Iroh with a small glare in her direction.

Azula returned the glare, but she couldn't match the great Dragon of the West, and, after a while, she relented.

"Today, at practice, I failed to perform a firebending move. Father wasn't happy with me. She said, slightly pulling up her left pant leg, revealing an untreated burn.

Before Azula could protest, she was dragged to the medical room, where the palace's supply of burn ointment was kept. After treating the burn, Iroh looked up to see his niece turned away, scowling.

"Don't think that this would be a one time occurrence. As you grow, the training will get more severe, and so will the punishment of you fail. Azula, please, come to the South. It will be safer for you there. I understand that you don't want to leave behind you life in the palace, but this is for your own good."

The princess was still scowling, but he could practically see the wheels in her head turning.

"Fine! I'll go live with that savage friend of yours, but don't expect me to be happy about it. I'm only agreeing because I don't have a masochistic wish to be burned alive!."

Iroh smiled. His plan was finally completed. "We leave in three days, princess. I assume that time will be enough to complete your assignment." He handed her the book she needed, and walked out of the room, leaving Azula wondering, if she made the right decision.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The small Fire Nation ship slowly sailed through the icy waters of the South Pole. On board of the ship stood Azula, thinking over how her life changed over the past week.

Their plan was simple. Iroh would take Azula on a trip under the pretense of teaching her advanced firebending. Then, he was going to leave her at the Southern Water Tribe and return to the Fire Nation alone, telling everyone that Azula died in an unfortunate accident.

Azula didn't agree to this. She didn't want anyone to think that she died because of a failed firebending move. That she was a failure. But Iroh managed to convince her that it was the only way to make sure Ozai didn't come looking for her.

She briefly considered telling Mai and Ty Lee the truth, but decided against it. The less people that knew, the better.

Azula was snapped out of her thoughts by her uncle's voice .

"How are you feeling, Princess Azula?"

"I feel tired and cold. The air is freezing and I can't wait to get off this ship. I don't like long sea travel."

"Well, then you're in luck." Said the old firebender, pointing over the board of the ship.

Azula turned to see a small village. Everything was covered in ice and snow. Having never seen snow before, Azula was in awe of the scenery, staring at the snowy plains with her jaw wide open.

The ship stopped, and a walkway was lowered. Iroh walked down and stepped onto the snow, Azula quickly followed, stopping only to force her face back into a nonchalant expression.

"Welcome, to the Southern Water Tribe, Princess Azula." Said a woman who looked to be around Uncle Iroh's age.

"Azula," Said Iroh. "This is Kanna, an old friend of mine. You will be staying with her and her grandchildren."

Azula stepped forward and bowed in the traditional Fire Nation way. She may not want to be here, but she was a princess, and princesses were always polite.

Iroh already started walking back to the ship when he heard his niece's voice.

"Uncle Iroh? I'm going...I'm going to miss you. Well, not really, I'll mostly miss your tea. And your battle stories. Yeah."

Looking at his niece, Iroh smiled. Azula has rarely shown compassion to others since Ursa's disappearance, and it was refreshing to see her at least attempt to.

"Of course, Azula. I will miss you, too."

And with that the young princess was left in a completely unfamiliar environment.

Azula stared after the sailing ship, deep in her thoughts. She only snapped out of her trance when Kanna put a hand on her back and started leading her towards the igloo.

As they walked, Azula saw some of the dirty stares given to her by the Southerners. Being the princess that she is, she held her head high and glared back, enjoying seeing some of them shrink away in fear.

Kanna's igloo was cosier than Azula imagined. The icy floor and walls are covered in animal pelts, there's a fire pit in the middle of the room and an overall homey feeling about the ice structure.

The men of the village, including Kanna's son, Hakoda, are away on a hunting trip for the week, so the only other people in the igloo are a nine year old boy and an eight year old girl.

"Azula, these are my grandchildren, Sokka and Katara. Kids, this is Azula, she will be living with us from now on."

Katara looked a little wary of the young princess, choosing to avert her gaze, while Sokka openly glared.

"Why do we have to take in someone from the Fire Nation?" Demanded the boy.

Before Kanna could answer, Azula was ready with a response.

"Well I'd much rather be back in the palace, where you don't get frostbite the second you step outside!"

Sokka continued glaring, only to be met with an equally aggressive glare on the princess' part, but the boy refused to look away. It wasn't long before the two kids started throwing insults at each other.

"ASHMAKER!"

"SNOW SAVAGE!"

"SNOOTY PRINCESS!"

"WILD BARBARIAN!"

"JERKBENDER!"

"WATER PEASANT!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH! AZULA, STAY HERE. SOKKA, KITCHEN, WE NEED TO TALK!" Shouted Kanna, annoyed at the two children.

After Kanna and Sokka disappeared into the kitchen, Azula sat down on the floor, when Katara carefully inched closer.

"Is it true that you're a real princess?"

Azula snapped her head in the other girl's direction. "Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. Daughter of Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa. Sister to Crown Prince Zuko, Cousin to Prince Lu Ten, now passed. Niece of the Dragon of The West. Granddaughter of Fire Lord Azulon and Great Granddaughter of Fire Lord Sozin, now passed. The only known wielder of the blue flame in recorded Fire Nation history."

It was always the same monologue every time. Listing off well known relatives and, of course, mentioning the blue fire Azula could produce. Ozai made her learn the whole thing by heart, so that she could proudly let the world know of her heritage and achievements.

Katara's eyes widened. "You can bend blue fire? Can you show me? Please?"

Azula smirked. She always enjoyed showing off her firebending. Getting into her stance, the young princess took a deep breath and threw a flame at the fire pit, instantly changing the orange flames to an indigo blue. Katara watched in awe for a few moments, before turning back to Azula.

"Look what I can do!"

Also getting into a stance, Katara slowly raise her hands and a small ball of water rose from the clay bucket in the corner of the room.

"You're a waterbender!" Exclaimed Azula. "But, I thought that there were no waterbenders in the South Pole."

After slowly putting the water back, Katara responded with sadness in her voice.

"They were all taken away, except me." She gave Azula a small smile. "Looks like we're both one of a kind, huh? I have a feeling that we're going to be great friends."

Well, Azula was going to spend the rest of her life here, might as well make alliances along the way.

I think we will.

A/N: Hey, guys. Sorry I took so long to post this. I had to rewrite the whole chapter since my Azula was really OOC. Now, I need your opinion on something. Would you like a few filler chapter on Azula's childhood in the South Pole, or should I go straight to The boy in the Iceberg? If you want the childhood chapters, please review and give me some ideas on what things Azula and Katara could get up to. Thanks!


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: This is going to be a collection of filler chapters about Azula's childhood in the South Pole. Feel free to suggest some prompts for these filler chapters, I'm going to post about 3-5 chapters before going on to The Boy in The Iceberg. Enjoy!**

The sun shining through the palace window in Azula's room was the thing that woke her up each morning. So she was rather surprised to see a dark room when she opened her eyes after her first night in the South, until she remember that igloos don't have windows.

"So, you're finally awake, sleepy head." Came a teasing voice. Azula rubbed her eyes and saw Katara making her bed, if you could call it that. Beds in the Tribe were more like a pile of furs on the floor, followed by a pile of furs for a blanket. So different from the four-poster bed and deep red comforters Azula was used to.

"We thought we'd wait until tomorrow to start you on the chores. Let you get used to the Tribe, you know. Now, come on, before Sokka eats all the breakfast!" Katara threw Azula a blue parka, lined with white fur, which the latter pulled on, and the two made their way to the central room.

Breakfast was chopped fish mixed with rice, a rather plain meal, by Azula's standards. A lot of the Fire Nation food was spicy and had a lot of flavor, unlike the fish and rice the Southerners ate for almost every meal.

Katara handed Azula a bowl and they sat down to eat. Sokka glared at the princess while wolfing down his own fish. Azula sneered at his sloppy eating

"Were you raised in a sty? You have worse manners that a cowpig!"

"What's a cowpig?" Asked a very confused Sokka.

She smirked. "It's an animal. A very messy, sloppy animal."

Sokka nodded, until he realized what Azula implied. "Hey!"

Katara, trying to maintain peace, got Azula's attention. "Come on, Azula. It's class time."

Azula stared at her incredulously. "You have classes here?"

"Of course we do! Boys and girl are coached separately. Boys learn fighting and hunting, while we learn cooking and cleaning and sewing and other chores." Answered Katara.

"Oh." The disappointment was evident in Azula's voice. "We don't learn that in school, there are servants for that. We learn etiquette, calligraphy, dancing, art and history. That's what a proper lady is expected to know."

Katara sighed dreamily. "I wish I could learn all that! Anyways, let's get a move on, or we'll be late!"

The classroom turned out to be a smaller igloo in the middle of the village. The other girls were already, legs crossed. Azula sat down in a kneeling position, like how they were taught to sit in the Academy.

"You really should stop sitting like that." Said a girl who was sitting next to her. "If you put too much weight on your legs, you can cut off circulation and have a nasty case of frostbite."

Grimacing at the thought of freezing her legs off, Azula crossed her legs in front of her. The girl smiled.

"My name's Niyok." Said the girl.

"Azula." Responded the princess. Why was this girl being so nice? Before she could ask, the teacher, an elderly woman around Kanna's age, walked in.

"Good morning class. Today you will be learning how to sew animal pelts. The fur can be tough, so you need to know the proper way to penetrate it with a needle."

The next two hours passed rather quickly. Sewing was easier than Azula imagined. She even got a lot of praise from the teacher, being the first to successfully sew a pelt.

After the lesson, Niyok came up to Azula and Katara. "You know, we have half an hour before we have to make lunch. Wanna go and see the boys train?"

Since the men and older boys were hunting, Sokka was teaching the class as the older boy. The three girls stood Of to the side, watching. It was rather funny, seeing as some of the spears were taller than Sokka himself. He noticed them snickering and glared.

"What are you laughing at?" He demanded. The girls didn't stop laughing, which made a Sokka even angrier.

"That's it! You, me, one on one. Let's see who's a better fighter, Ashmaker!"

Azula stopped laughing. "You really want to fight me?"

At Sokka's determined nod, Azula pulled off her parka and threw it to Katara, leaving her in her training uniform which she wore underneath.

"What are you doing? You'll freeze to death!" Shouted Katara.

"Don't worry. It's about to get hot in here." Answered Azula as she delivered the first punch, sending blue flame at Sokka.

He tried to get her with the spear, but she was too fast. She avoided his every blow, sending her signature blue flames in return. As he charged at her, she sidestepped him and grabbed his shoulder, pushing him back. He ended up on the ground with Azula's foot on his chest.

"And that's why you don't fight with me." Azula took her foot off of his chest and stepped back. Katara handed her back her parka, and Sokka walked off, grumbling to himself.

"That was fun."

"And you know what would be even more fun?" Asked Niyok. "Penguin sledding!"

Before she knew it, Azula was clinging onto an otter-penguin, balancing on the edge of a slope. "I think I changed my mind." But Katara already leaned over and gave the penguin slight kick, sending it down the slope, her and Niyok soon following.

Screams of terror soon turned to shrieks of laughter. The three girl glided down the icy terrain, giggling like mad. The penguins stopped abruptly, sending their riders into a pile of snow.

As they were catching their breaths, a figure towered over them. "What are you doing here? Kanna was looking everywhere for you two." The figure, which turned out to be a girl only two years older than the princess and her friends, said, pointing at Azula and Katara. "As for you, you have chores to do, Niyok!"

"I'm sorry, Nutha." Said Niyok. "We were just playing!"

"Chores first, Games later." Said Nutha, plucking her little sister from the snow and leading her away.

"Bye Azula! Bye Katara! I'll see you later!" Shouted Niyok as she was lead away.

Both girls waved their goodbye and started their own trek back to the village.

"Katara." The blue eyed girl turned at the sound of her name. "I just wanted to thank you. I haven't had fun like that in years."

"You're welcome, Azula. But we should get back to the village, or Gran-Gran will be angry.

The two girls walked back to the village, hand in hand. Both tired, but very happy.

**A/N: Niyok and Nutha aren't my OCs. They appeared in 'The Rift' comic.**


	4. Chapter 3

It's been a week since Uncle Iroh returned to the Fire Nation. A week since Azula was pronounced dead. And he still couldn't believe it. His little sister. Gone.

True, Azula wasn't always the best sister. She bullied him and pushed him around. Sometimes, it seemed like her life goal was to make his miserable.

But she was still his little sister, and she was still gone.

The news spread like wildfire. Every corner of the country was filled murmurs of condolences. Every little island filled with whispered prayers to Agni to spare the Royal Family from further anguish. Wasn't it only a few months ago when Fire Lord Azulon left this world? Wasn't it just a week before that when Prince Lu Ten lost his life in battle? And now, the young princess was gone, too.

He remember seeing his sister's friends that day. Mai remained stoic, but he could see beyond the icy expression. He saw the sadness behind her tawny eyes. Ty Lee was openly crying, muffling her sobs with her pink sleeve, while one of her sisters glared at her.

But he would be lying if he said that he wasn't sad himself. He missed Azula dearly. He would never tell anyone, but he enjoyed playing with her and her friends. Even that time she made him push Mai into the fountain. He held onto every memory he had of that golden eyed girl.

When a child born into the Royal Family produces their first flames, they are put into an ornate glass jar and put on display in a special room. When the Royal died, the flame would become muted, but remain burning.

For the last week, he visited the room multiple times. He would stare into the blue fire, imagining his little sister firebending. He would lose track of time as he sat there, his uncle would have to come get him for dinner.

He barely ate, for every time he sat in the dining room he pictured his sister sitting opposite him. He couldn't sleep, for every time he closed his eyes he saw those calculating golden eyes.

Every inch of the palace, every scorch mark on the tree next to the pond, every little thing in the palace would remind him of his sister.

"She's dead." His father once said. "Get over it. Let her go."

But he couldn't. He had this feeling, this hunch, that he would know if something happened to Azula. Ever since they were little, he would wake up in the middle of the night, only to hear her cries in the nursery next door. It was like they were connected.

But he didn't feel anything. He thought back to the day Azula died. He didn't feel that dropping sensation that he always felt when something happened to his little sister. There wasn't even a slight feeling of dreas. There was nothing.

One night, he visited the room again. He sat, his blanket around his shoulders, watching the dancing blue fire. His eyes involuntary drifted to the other flames in the room. Right next to Azula's stood his. Bright orange flames, a little small compared to Ozai's fire right next to his. He looked over the walls, where hundreds of ornate jars sat on many shelves, containing generations of Royal flames.

He looked over to Azulon's jar. The one jar that used to burn brightest in the room, was now nothing more than a burst of flame, like all of them became after the Royal's death. All except Azula's.

His eyes flickered back and forth between the jars of his little sister and his grandfather. Her fire was too big. There could only be two explanations. One, her flames were bigger because they were blue, or two, that Azula...No. Impossible.

His Uncle wouldn't lie about something like that, would he? What reason could he possibly have to do so?

Uncle Iroh was acting rather strange lately. The prince assumed it was because he missed Azula. But no, when people miss someone, they tend to be sad. Uncle wasn't sad, he was more distant. Not distant in a depressed way, but in a 'I'm hiding something' way.

Huh, so the young prince did pick up on some of his sister's calculating skills.

The answer came to him three days later, when both his Uncle and Father were in a war meeting. The servants were busy doing their jobs, so no one paid attention to him as he snuck into his Uncle's room.

The war meetings could go on for hours, so he wasn't in a hurry. He carefully checked every nook and cranny in the room. Looked through the wardrobe, the bookshelf, even between the bedsheets. There had to be something.

There was one spot he hadn't checked. The drawer in his Uncle desk. He carefully opened it, moving aside the Pai Sho board and the packets of exotic tea until he stumbled upon a scroll with a Water Tribe insignia.

Reading other people's mail was wrong, the prince knew that. But this concerned his sister, so he would have to make an exception. The letter was from someone named Kanna, who was apparently Uncle Iroh's old friend. He reread the letter multiple times and his eyes widened.

He realized what the letter meant. It was an agreement to sending his sister somewhere, where she could be safe from their father's influence.

That could only mean one thing.

Azula was alive.

**A/N: Hey guys! So, there were a lot of requests for Zuko reacting to Azula's 'death', so I wrote it. I decided to try a new style. I didn't mention Zuko's name once in this chapter. I thought it added a little more mystery. If I ever write more chapters from Zuko's perspective, they will probably be in this style, as I want them to stand out amongst the Azula chapters.**

**I wasn't sure about the desicion to make Zuko find out, so I'll need your feedback on it. Did you like it? Did you hate it? I'm sorry if Iroh seemed a little too careless about leaving Water Tribe messages lying around, but it was written under the premise that no one ever comes into Iroh's room without his permission, and if they do, they don't check the drawer, as it contains a Pai Sho board and tea.**

**Please review and leave prompts for chapter about Azula's childhood in the South. Bye!**


	5. Chapter 4

As it turns out, being a great firebender doesn't make you a great cook. Just the opposite actually. Kanna, Sokka and Katara agreed to never let Azula anywhere near the kitchen again when she burned the whole week's supply of fish. But the princess didn't mind. The less chores the better.

Azula had taken to practicing her firebending over a hill behind the village, where her blue fire wouldn't hurt anyone. Since she didn't have any firebending scrolls with her, she copied some of the advanced forms her father showed her. She was rather close to being a master firebender, so she wasn't too worried about not learning new forms.

Though she didn't show it, Azula was worried over meeting Katara and Sokka's dad and the other men. Sure, she knew that Hakoda was a key factor in moving her to the South, since he was the first to vote 'yes' when Kanna brought the issue up with the council, but that didn't stop her troubling thoughts.

The council consisted of the older men of the village and a few women, like Kanna. When Kanna announced her and Iroh's plan, a lot of the Southerners voted 'no' almost immediately. But Hakoda, Bato and other men who had little girls of their own voted 'yes,' and that's all that mattered.

It was a bright afternoon in late spring when the children and younger women of the village rushed to the sea when the ships appeared on the horizon. Azula watched as the canoes rolled in, the men disembarking, hugging their wives and kids before carrying the meat to the main igloo.

Azula didn't stick around for long, quickly retreating over the hill. She wasn't in a rush to meet the Chief, or the other men, honestly.

To calm her mind, she started on some basic firebending forms, her father's voice ringing in her mind as she progressed to harder ones.

_Almost isn't good enough_

She must do it perfectly. She must make her father proud even if he thinks that she's dead. She must prove that she's not a failure like Zuzu. She must-

"You're rather advanced for someone your age, aren't you?"

The voice made her jump, slip on the ice and fall into a pile of snow.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." The voice, well, the man, said, extending a hand to her. Normally, she'd reject it, but the ice was slippery, so she reluctantly took hold of his hand and stood up, brushing the snow from her parka.

"I'm Hakoda. Katara told me so much about you, already."

So that's who the man was. Chief Hakoda, Katara and Sokka's father. How long has she been practicing? One hour? Two? She tended to lose track of time. She took a closer look at Hakoda. He looked exactly how you'd expect a Water Tribe man to look. Dark skin, brown hair, blue eyes. Those eyes. There was something about them, that she had only seen in uncle's eyes.

It took her a second to pinpoint it. His eyes were full of kindness, fatherly love. Something that Ozai's golden ones never had.

"I don't think I have ever seen blue fire before." Hakoda said.

Azula proudly raised her head. "I'm the only known wielder of the blue fire in recorded Fire Nation history."

Just as Hakoda was about to answer, Katara came rushing over the hill.

"There you are! Come on, Gran Gran is almost done with dinner!" Katara said, as she grabbed Azula's hand and led her to the igloo, Hakoda softly chuckling behind them.

Sitting around the fire pit in the igloo, Katara, Azula and Sokka listened to the stories Hakoda told them of his trip. He told them about the polar bear dog pack they had to fight off, about the dangers they faced in the arctic and about the animals they encountered.

Kanna sometimes chimed in, telling a fable about a certain animal or another, or about spirits that used to live in the South Pole. It was almost like Azula was part of the family.

But soon enough, the stories ran out, and the room fell into a silence that didn't last long.

"Hey, Azula?" Katara started slowly. "How come you never tell us about your life in the Fire Nation?"

Azula raised an eyebrow at her. "What exactly do you want to know?"

"Ehh...Your friends! You had friends, right?" Katara answered after a moment hesitation.

"Of course I had friends." Azula scoffed. "Mai and Ty Lee."

She thought that she said enough, but she looked up to see Hakoda and Kanna staring at her attentively, Katara eagerly leaning forward, and even Sokka breaking away from his food to look at her. She rolled her eyes and continued.

"We met at the Fire Nation Royal Academy for Girls. Mai's father had a career in politics, so she could have anything she wanted, as long as she behaved. She liked throwing knives. I think it started when her uncle, the warden at the Boiling Rock, got her a throwing knife for her fifth birthday. She was always so gloomy. I wasn't sure if she knew what a smile was.

Then, there's Ty Lee. She was the complete opposite of Mai. Always smiling and laughing at everything in the world. I used to think that she didn't have a single bone in her body, that's how flexible she was. Always doing cartwheels and splits and other acrobatics. That was the only thing that she was better than me at.

We used to break the rules at school all the time. We got away with it, of course. Perks of being the princess. We played pranks, too. One time, Ty Lee and I pushed Zuko and Mai into the fountain after we realized that they had crushes on each other. You should have seen their faces, they were _so_ embarrassed!"

Azula and Katara started snickering, while Sokka looked confused. "Who's Zuko?"

Azula frowned and spoke through gritted teeth. "My older brother. Mother's favorite. Anytime I did something, anything, he ran crying to mother straight away. 'Mom! Azula pushed me into the fountain! Mom! Azula threw bread at the turtleducks again! Mom! Azula always lies!' And she would hug him! Tell him that he's strong and amazing and wonderful! Please, he's just a sniveling weakling. Two years older and can't beat me in a fight. What kind of firebender, instead of facing his problems, runs to rat Azula out to mommy dearest? Well, pathetic little Zuzu, of course! Azula doesn't have feelings. She doesn't care if mother loves her or not. After all: AZULA! ALWAYS! LIES!"

With every sentence, her voice got louder, until she was shouting. The fire in the pit turned blue, as Azula breathed heavily, her golden eyes flickering from shocked face to shocked face, taking in their reactions to her outburst.

"Thank you for the dinner." She said, bowing slightly to Kanna. "I'm going to bed."

And with that, she left the room, leaving four astounded faces staring after her. She burrowed into her furs, throwing all thoughts of her mother out of her head, and fell into a dreamless sleep.

**A/N: Okay, I have officially ran out of ideas for these filler chapters. If you want me to add a few more, please suggest some, or give me prompts. If I don't come up with anything, I will be moving onto The Boy in the Iceberg in the next chapter. Bye!**


	6. Chapter 5

Ever since the outburst Azula had the night the men returned to the village, the princess spent less and less time with the tribe. She woke up, did her chores, attended her classes and retreated over the hill to firebend.

She stopped talking with Katara entirely, not to mention Niyok or the other girls. She glared at anyone who as much as looked at her. And no one knew what might have caused this drastic change in behavior.

If she cared that everyone was worried for her, she didn't show it. She practically drowned herself in firebending practice, overworking herself until she could barely walk.

And Kanna didn't like it one bit.

This was exactly the life Iroh wanted to send Azula away from. Kanna truly wanted to make sure the girl had a proper childhood, and this was the opposite.

The night the fallout happened, the woman learned three things about the princess. One, she had an older brother whom she was superior to. Two, her mother favored said brother. And three, Azula was sure her mother didn't love her.

She wasn't sure if the last fact was true. Did the Fire Lord's wife really not love her only daughter? What kind of a mother was she?

"A horrible one." Azula answered when cornered with the question. "I told you before, she favored Zuzu over me. Now that I'm 'dead' she must be the happiest woman in the Fire Nation. Or maybe she wouldn't care. She left us, after all."

Kanna was stunned into silence while Azula brushed past her and went outside. News rarely got to the South Pole, so no one knew that the Fire Lord's wife wasn't around anymore. Did she die? Or was she truly the awful woman Azula claimed she was and just abandoned them?

The old woman knew that Azula didn't trust her. At least not enough to tell her what exactly happened to her mother. But maybe she would tell Katara.

Later that day, Kanna brought the topic up as Katara helped her cook.

"So, did you talk to Azula lately?"

Katara scoffed. "She doesn't what to talk. She probably thinks that she's better than all of us since she's a princess."

"You're the Chief's daughter. In the North Pole you would be considered a princess. And Azula knows that." Said Kanna.

"Then why doesn't she want to talk?"

"Maybe she's scared that we might think less of her after what she revealed to us the night your father came home. Remember how she was raised. She was supposed to put up an image of a perfect princess. She was taught that control was everything.

She lost control that night, letting all her anger out through her words. She might still me in the mindset of 'being a princess means to not show weakness.' She thinks that emotions and love are weaknesses."

Katara was taken aback. "You think it was true? What she said about her brother and mom?"

Kanna nodded. "Azula told me that her mother left. I don't know what she meant, but I do know that it made a big impact one her family. She doesn't trust me enough to tell me. Maybe she will tell you."

"I'll talk to her tonight." Said Katara determinedly. "I want to be friends with her again. What if she doesn't?"

"I'm sure she wants to be friends, she just doesn't know how to say it." Reassured Kanna, pulling her granddaughter into a hug.

That night, Azula was almost asleep in her furs, facing the wall, when a faint voice came from the other side of the room

"Azula?"

The girl briefly considered ignoring it and going to sleep, but reluctantly let out a sound, letting Katara know that she had the princess' full attention.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did." Came Azula's muffled reply.

Katara rolled her eyes and continued. "What happened to your mother?"

Azula snapped her head towards and glared at the other girl. "And why would I tell you?"

"Because you're supposed to be my friend. Friends don't ignore each other for two weeks. Why are you even doing that? Was it something I said?"

There was no response.

"Is it because you let us know about one of your insecurities? That your mother loves your brother more?"

The young princess turned back towards the wall, ignoring the fact that Katara pinpointed the cause of their fallout.

"My mom died in October." Now _that _got Azula's attention. "It was a Fire Nation raid. All the men were fighting the soldiers while I went back to the house to find mom. There was a man in our house. I still remember his glare. Mom told me to go get dad, but when we came back, she was gone."

No reaction. Not that Katara expected one. Over the past month she quickly learned that Azula wasn't one for sympathy nor pity. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, almost falling asleep.

Azula's reply was what jolted her back into reality. "You want to know what happened to my mother? She left us. Abandoned us. Ran away in the middle of the night, never saying goodbye.

It was right after my cousin died. Father asked Grandfather to revoke Uncle Iroh's birthright since he had no heirs. Grandfather refused, saying that father must learn the pain of losing a first born son by sacrificing his own.

The next thing I know, my grandfather is dead, my mother is gone and my father is the Fire Lord. No one ever spoke of my mother again."

Azula thought that Katara was asleep until she felt the Water Tribe Girl climbing under the furs with her.

"Whenever I was sad or scared, I would always climb in with my mom at night. I think that's what you need right now. Some comfort." She explained.

When Azula didn't protest, Katara continued. "Can we be friends again?"

"I'd like that." Came the immediate, though unsure, response.

Katara hugged Azula tightly as they fell asleep, both happy for their rekindled friendship.

**A/N: Hello everyone. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and the large amount of dialogue that it contains. I still want to do one fire childhood chapter, so make sure to suggest something. **

**I'm sorry if I only update once every ten days. I write the chapters in my head but have problems transferring it into a document. Please be patient, I'm intending to write this story until the very end, since I know how it feels when a you enjoy ends up abandoned and unfinished.**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

**-AvatarNia**


	7. Chapter 6

The boy never really liked his sister. She would always play pranks on him and tease him about everything. Despite all that, he was heartbroken when the news of her death reached the palace. He himself was surprised at just how crushed he was over it.

It seemed like the universe was playing a cruel joke on him. First, his cousin was killed in battle, then his grandfather died in his sleep, then his mother disappeared in the middle of the night. His sister's death was the breaking point in his life. He only had two family members left, with only one that truly cared for him.

And that wasn't his father. Now that Azula is gone Ozai is sure to focus all his attention on the young prince. A few months ago that would have been a dream come true, but now, it just seemed more like a nightmare.

That was until he found out that she didn't die, after all.

"Uncle, I need to talk to you."

It's been a month since the young prince had found out that his little sister was, in fact, alive. Azula was alive and living in the Southern Water Tribe. He had been gathering confidence to confront his uncle about it, and today was that day.

With every step he took towards his uncle's chambers, the more confidence he lost. How does one start this conversation? Should he come from afar or get straight to the point? The boy didn't know, and that's what scared him.

"Yes, my nephew?" Came Iroh's reply, snapping him out of his reverie.

'This is it.' He thought. 'Do it. Tell him. Azula's your sister, you deserve to know the truth.'

He took a calming breath. "I know that Azula is alive."

The change in Iroh's demeanor was instant. With widened eyes he pulled his nephew into the room, closing the door firmly behind him after making sure that no one heard the boy's words.

"Where did you hear that?" Iroh demanded.

The words hitched in the prince's throat. His uncle was usually so kind and levelheaded. It was almost frightening to see him like this.

"I...I found a letter from the Southern Water Tribe in your desk." He confessed.

"What were you doing in my room?" Came a dangerously calm reply.

"I saw her fire in the jar room! It was bright. Brighter than it was supposed to be. I'm really sorry I snooped around! I truly just wanted to know if she was alive or not."

Iroh's face relaxed. The secret was safe. His nephew was the only one who ever visited the room where the first flames of the Royal firebenders were kept. No one else knew the truth.

"Sit, my nephew." Said Iroh, gesturing to the bed.

The prince complied. Iroh went over to the desk and pulled out the letter.

"I sent Azula away to keep her safe. You're a smart boy, surely you noticed just how much your father was overtraining her."

The boy nodded. Ever since his mother disappeared he started noticing that Azula seemed more tired. She had more scrapes and minor burns on her hands and feet, she even retired to her room earlier than usual in the evenings. It was all rather odd.

"Kanna," Continued Iroh, pointing to the name on the letter, "is my longtime friend. When we were young, she ran away from the Northern Water Tribe to escape an arranaged marriage. She stumbled upon occupied parts of the Earth Kingdom which she couldn't cross without the soldiers discovering her.

That's when I found her. At first I though she was a spy, until I realized she was just a sixteen year old girl. She told me her story and I offered to help her across the Earth Kingdom. She agreed and we spent a month or two together, traveling. We parted ways in the Southern Earth Kingdom and sent letters through messenger hawk ever since."

The young prince processed the story. He would have never guessed that his uncle had a friend outside of the Fire Nation. A Water Tribe girl, no less. It was so bizarre that he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't read the letter himself.

"So that's why you told everyone that she died? To protect her?" He asked.

Iroh nodded. "I did it for her own good. You see, if she continued living under your father's influence, she would have turned heartless and cruel. You don't want that to happen to you sister, do you?"

"Of course not!" The prince shook his head. "But uncle, what about me? Why didn't you send me away, too?"

"Because you have me to look after you. Azula wouldn't accept my help, you know that. By sending her away, I made sure that she would always be safe. Just like you will be safe with me." Iroh explained.

The boy stood up and hugged his uncle. "Thank you."

"Remember, my nephew, this is a secret we must keep from everyone else. You cannot tell a single living soul. If it gets out, we might all be in grave danger.

The prince nodded once again. He knew that it wasn't only Azula's fate that would be affected is the secret got out. His uncle could be executed for treason. The prince himself could suffer, as he was in on it.

Multiple lives could be ruined if word got out. This was the one thing they couldn't afford to let slip. If they made one mistake, one step backwards, the whole plan would crash and burn.

The boy never liked his sister, but, for her sake, he would guard the truth with his life.

**A/N: Hello everyone! Well, well, well. Would you look at that, second chapter in a row with lots of dialogue. I'm sorry if it seemed boring, I just thought that the scene between Zuko and Iroh needed to be established.**

**Zuko's point of view is a little hard to write. I suppose I brought it upon myself by choosing this writing style, didn't I?**

**Anyways, I have one last childhood chapter planned and after that we're definitely moving on to The Boy in The Iceberg. I've put it off long enough. Happy belated 4th of July to all my American readers and I hope you're still enjoying this story.**

**Bye!**

**-AvatarNia.**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**A/N: This is gonna be the last of the childhood chapters. Since there are around six years I need to cover and I can't write them all out, this is going to be a collection of the most pivotal moments during Azula's childhood in the South. Enjoy!**

—

**Frenemies**

"Azula!"

The young princess turned her head at the sound of her voice. She saw Sokka walking determinately toward her.

"I demand a rematch!" He proclaimed.

Azula stood up from where she was making snow sculptures with Katara and Niyok.

"You sure? I beat you rather quickly the last time." She smirked.

"That...That was just beginner's luck! He sputtered. "I can beat you any day!"

She raised an eyebrow. Did he really think that she was a beginner? "Well, if you insist."

They walked over the hill where Azula practiced her firebending, Katara and Niyok following them.

Azula pulled off her parka, handing it to Katara and got into a firebending stance. Sokka got into a stance of his own, readying his weapon.

Without warning, Azula charged forward, blue streaming from her fingertips. Sokka tried to retaliate and stab at her with his club, but failed, as she was too fast.

"Scared yet?" Taunted Azula.

Sokka's scowl deepened. "You wish, princess! As if I would be scared of a girl!"

Azula just laughed at him.

Their fight continued, insults flying as fast as the blue flames Azula produced. Clubs were thrusted, boomerangs thrown, fire lit and extinguished.

Quite the crowd gathered around the fighting children. The sounds of taunts and insults alerted the Southerners of the fight, and everyone wanted to see if the Chief's son could beat the princess.

Eventually, Sokka ended up on his butt with a fire dagger pointed at his face.

"Fine, fine, you win." He groaned. "Again."

Azula's smirk widened as she pulled her parka back on. "Never underestimate a girl. Especially not one who has been in military training since she could firebend."

As the years passed, Sokka would only continue challenging Azula to rematches. And every time the princess would defeat him. They acquired a 'Frenemies' dynamic. An 'I'm only tolerating you because of Katara' dynamic which turned into an 'Okay, we're friends now but I'm not afraid to kick your butt' dynamic.

Not like beating Sokka was that difficult.

—

**Family**

Azula was nine when she was sitting next to Katara inside their igloo, a brutal winter snow storm raging outside. All Azula wanted was to go outside and firebend but the cruel winters of the South prevented it.

Kanna tried to keep them occupied by telling stories of various spirits and protectors of the Water Tribes, but they just dampened Azula's mood even more than the storm. But she wasn't the only one.

Sokka was taking a nap in his spot on the floor and Hakoda looked like he was halfway there. Katara's bored look rivaled that of Mai's, presumably from hearing all those stories multiple times before.

After a while, the princess just had enough. "No one cares about some old spirit, Gran Gran!"

Kanna stopped abruptly, staring at the girl with her lips pressed into a thin line. Katara and Hakoda looked to Azula in shock. Sokka woke up with a start from the sound of her voice.

"What?" Azula snapped.

"Did you just call me 'Gran Gran'?" Came Kanna's unsure response.

Azula's eyes widened as she repeated the moment in her head, her face slowly turning red from embarrassment.

"It's just...I never really had a grandmother before." Azula confessed. "Fire Lady Ilah died when I was two and I don't remember her."

With slight hesitation, Katara asked the question they were all thinking. "What about your mother's mom?"

Azula tensed. She didn't like talking about her mother. "When a woman marries a man from the Royal Family she is forced to leave behind and cut all contact with her own family, so I never met her. All I know is that her name was Rina."

Suddenly, Azula was engulfed in a hug by Kanna.

"I'd be honored if you saw me as your grandmother, Azula."

And, after a while, Azula hugged her back.

—

**Friends by chance**

It was a warm summer night, well, as warm as it can get in the South, when ten year old Azula and Katara were sitting by a blue fire Azula made in the clearing behind the hill. It was one of those nights when you could clearly see all the stars in the sky.

Stargazing was always one of Azula's favorite hobbies. She first got interested in the night sky during one of her stays at Ember Island. She was always fascinated at how the stars looked slightly different than how they looked from the palace. Slowly, stargazing developed into a habit.

A habit that she carried with her into the Southern Water Tribe And was pleasantly surprised that Katara shared her fascination with the sky.

That's what they were doing out at night, huddled together, watching the stars, each in a world of their own.

"Hey, Azula?" Katara spoke up. "I've been thinking, how crazy is it that our world is probably hundreds of thousand years old and so big, and still, somehow, we ended up being friends."

Azula turned her attention from the stars to her friend. "Yeah. And it's all because my tea-obsessed uncle decided to ship me off to the South Pole."

Both girls chuckled at that comment.

"I mean, sure, I'm grateful that he noticed how much I was suffering and saved me from it. But, I can't help wondering what would have happened if he didn't notice, or didn't care."

Katara gave a sad smile. "I have a feeling that we wouldn't have been friends."

"Guess we're lucky that things turned out this way," Replied the princess, "That our stars aligned."

It took a moment for them to realize the pun Azula just made, which left them both laughing.

"It's getting late." Katara managed to get out between fits of laughter. "We should probably get going."

Extinguishing the fire, the two headed back home, the conversation still fresh in their minds.

"Guess you can say we're friends by chance, aren't we?" Said Katara absentmindedly.

Azula could only nod.

_Friends by chance indeed._

—

**Sisters by choice**

"Why must Katara be so annoying?" Complained eleven year old Azula as she stepped into the kitchen where Kanna was cooking dinner.

"Is she now?" Kanna slightly rolled her eyes. The two girls have been arguing for a whole month. It was rather childish, but at the same time it was concerning since I was the longest the girls spent arguing.

Azula nodded angrily. "All she wants to do lately is braid hair and gossip about boys!"

Kanna turned away from her cooking. "That's normal for a girl her age."

"But _I _don't want to do it! I want to have snowball fights and penguin sled and go stargazing at night, not have debates over which boy is cuter!" Huffed the princess.

"Azula, darling, listen." Kanna put a hand on Azula's shoulder. "You were as close as sisters these past three years. Talk to her, explain what you want and don't want to do. I'm sure she'll understand."

Azula nodded. She really shouldn't get upset over this. She headed out of the door to go find Katara and talk to her.

Apparently, Katara had the same idea as they collided in the doorway.

"Katara, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that I got mad at you. You acquired different interests and I didn't like that we stopped doing some of our old activities because of it."

"I'm sorry too." Confessed Katara. "How about we take turns doing stuff? Like braid hair in the morning and go stargazing at night, like old times?"

Azula smiled. "I'd like that."

"You know, we were practically forced to become friends when you came here, but we accepted it. We even took it a step further and became as close as sisters. Let's not argue for months on end again. I felt like a part of me was missing when we weren't talking, you know what I mean?"

Azula did know. She felt the exact same thing. Feeling happy that their friendship was mended, the two girls hugged. Suddenly, a year old conversation popped into Azula's mind.

"Friends by chance?" The princess whispered.

Katara hesitated, but only for a moment when the perfect answer came to her. A response that felt just right.

"Sisters by choice."

—

Four years ago, the Southern Water Tribe felt like an icy barren land, filled with cold and unhappiness. That's what Azula would have continued thinking if it weren't for Katara. The Southern girl taught Azula about the wonders of the Tribe and all the fun things they could do. Sure, it wasn't the Fire Nation. It was something so much better,

But things started changing when the men of the village left to fight in the Earth Kingdom, leaving only the children, women and elderly behind. The war, something Azula was sent away to avoid, has reached them, once again.

—

**A/N: This chapter concludes the childhood arc of this fanfic. The Boy in the Iceberg is next and I really hope you enjoyed this series of various parts of Azula's childhood. **

**Fun Fact: This chapter is actually the longest so far.**

**Props to anyone who got the ****not so subtle** **Liv and Maddie reference. I couldn't help myself, I really like that show, sorry!**

**If you were wondering, I didn't accidentally write the "Sisters by chance, Friends by choice" quote the other way round. "Friends by chance, Sisters by choice" fits with Azula and Katara better.**

**I'm going to stop rambling now. Bye!**

**-AvatarNia**


	9. Chapter 8

"Ugh! Why is it that every time you play with magic water I get soaked?"

"It's not magic, it's waterbending, and it's…" Katara started.

Sokka cut her off. "Yeah, yeah "an ancient art unique to our culture", blah, blah, blah. Look, I'm just saying that if I had weird powers, I'd keep my weirdness to myself."

"You're calling us weird?" Azula raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we're not the ones not the one who makes muscles at ourselves every time we see our reflections in the water!" Katara joined in.

Sokka fully turned towards the girls. "Hey, no fair! You two are always teaming up against me!"

Azula's retort was cut off when the canoe jerked forward. Before they knew it, the three were speeding towards giant blocks of ice.

"Turn left, turn left!" Commanded Katara.

The canoe was crushed by ice and the trio threw themselves towards an ice slab. Katara nearly slid off if it weren't for Azula's instincts. She grabbed the edge of Katara's parka and pulled her back.

"Thanks." Katara smiled before turning to face Sokka, her smile turning into a frown in a matter of seconds. "You call that a left?"

"If you don't like my steering maybe you could have waterbended us out of the ice. Or maybe _you _could have used you crazy blue fire to melt it, Princess!"

"So it's our fault?" Cried Katara indignantly.

"I knew I should have left the two of you home..."

Azula scowled. "You better not finish that sentence, Sokka."

"Leave it to a bunch of girls to mess everything up."

_That's it, he's going to get it._

Katara was thinking the same thing. "You're the most sexist, immature..."

"Nut-brained." Azula filled in.

"Exactly! I'm embarrassed to be related to you!"

While Katara was off on her tirade, Azula noticed that the giant iceberg behind them started cracking.

"Katara?"

"Not now, Azula. As for _you_, ever since mom died, I've been doing all the work around the village while you've been off playing soldier!"

No matter how much Sokka and Azula tried to stop her, Katara continued shouting and the iceberg continued cracking.

"I even wash all the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell, you, _NOT PLEASANT!_"

"Katara, settle down, please." Sokka attempted.

"No that's it! I'm done helping you! From now on, you're on your own!" With one final wave of her arms, the iceberg finally fell apart.

Azula crosses her arms. "Well done, Katara."

"You…" Katara glanced from Azula to Sokka and back to the iceberg. "You think I did that?"

"Yep." Responded Sokka.

That's when the iceberg started glowing. A silhouette of a boy became visible, his eyes glowing as was the arrow on his head. Behind him, barely visible, was a shadow of a big creature.

"He's alive in there! We have to help him." Katara grabbed Sokka's club and ran towards the iceberg.

After a few hits the girl realized that she couldn't break through. "Azula, come help me!"

"What do you want me to do, pound on it with my bare fists?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Are you a firebender or what?"

Sighing, Azula pulled off her gloves and stashed them inside her parka. She pressed her hands onto the ice, flinching slightly from the cold, and started heating it up.

"Can't you do it any faster?"

Azula growled in frustration. "If you don't like my firebending then you can break the ice yourself, Katara!"

Katara scoffed. "I'm just saying that you'll freeze your hands off if you don't send a fireball at it or something!"

"You want a fireball? I'll show you a fireball!" Azula peeled her hands from the iceberg and formed a blue fireball in her hands, blasting it forward.

"Wait! Azula, I was kidding!"

The ice ball cracked and emitted a blue beam of light into sky. A boy appeared on the snow slope and started falling. Katara rushed forward and caught him before he could hit the ice floor.

Strutting over, Sokka begins to poke at the boy's head with the blunt end of his spear.

"Would you stop that?" Katara snaps before turning back to the boy.

Azula slowly came forward and kneeled next to Katara. "Is he alive?"

"I...I don't know." Muttered Katara.

The princess nodded, grabbing the boy's hand and checking his pulse. Her eyes widened when she felt a slight beat.

"So? Do you feel anything?" Asked Katara.

Azula held up a hand to stop Katara from talking. Carefully, she put a hand in the boy's ice cold cheek, before raising it and giving him a sharp slap.

Immediately, his eyes snapped open and he pressed a palm of his own over the red mark. "What did you do that for?"

"To see if you were alive or not." Azula responded, standing up.

The boy looked over to Katara, who was still kneeled over him. He looked pensive for a moment before his gray eyes lit up with a childlike wonder.

"Will you go penguin sledding with me?"

Katara was taken aback. "Uh...sure."

Katara moved over and the boy stood up. Sokka stepped closer, aggressively pointing with his spear. Why were you in the ice? And how aren't you frozen?"

"I'm not sure."

Sokka persisted. "What was that light beam? Were you sending a signal to the Fire Nation navy?"

A sharp gasp came from behind them that made both Katara and Sokka turn around. Azula was standing there, in the middle of pulling on her glove, breathing heavily.

Katara was the first to move, pulling Azula into a hug. She rubbed circles into her back while whispering, "Don't worry. They aren't going to find you," over and over again.

After a while, Azula stepped back. "I'm okay."

Sokka actually looked guilty for once. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Like always." And the old Azula was back.

She turned to face the boy. "So, who are you?"

"I'm Aa…" Before he could finish, he sneezed and shot up into the air.

"I'm Aang." He said once he landed.

A low growl filled the air and Aang jumped over the remains of his ice prison. "Appa! Wake up, buddy."

Rushing over to Aang, the trio gawked at the giant creature before them.

"What in the name of Agni is that!?" Demanded Azula.

"This is Appa, my Flying Bison."

Sokka nodded sarcastically, "Right, and these are Katara and Azula, my flying sisters."

Aang looked at the three of them questioningly. Before he could ask anything, Appa began inhaling deeply. Realizing what was about to happen, Aang jumped just as Appa sneezed green snot onto Sokka.

Said Water Tribe boy squealed in disgust and frantically tried clean it off, rubbing his face in the snow under the amused gaze of his friend and sister.

"Don't worry, I'll wash out." Unaware of Sokka's glare, Aang continued. "So, do you guys live around here?"

"Don't answer that! He might be a spy for…" He glanced over at Azula. "You-Know-What."

"Oh yeah, he's a spy alright. You can tell by that evil look in his eye." Laughed Katara. The paranoid one is my brother, Sokka. I'm Katara and this is Azula, my sister by choice."

Aang had a look of confusion on his face. "Sister by choice, how's that?"

Azula rolled her eyes. "Unless you're completely blind, you can tell that we're not actually related. I was taken in by their family when I was eight and we became as close as sisters ever since."

"Friends by chance, sisters by choice. That's kinda our motto." Explained Katara.

"I'm going to interrupt this meeting of club 'Tell-your-life-story-to-a-stranger' by pointing out that said stranger just sneezed and flew ten feet in the air."

"Ten feet? It felt higher." Commented Aang.

"You're an airbender!" Exclaimed Katara.

Azula's head snapped towards Aang. "That's not possible. The Air Nomads have been extinct for 100 years."

"Giant light beams, flying bison, extinct airbenders. I think I got midnight sun madness. I'm going home to where stuff makes sense." Sokka turned and realized that he was stuck in the middle of the ocean.

Aang jumped into Appa. "Well, if you guys are stuck, Appa and I could give you a ride."

"We'd love a ride. Thanks." Katara climbed into the bison while Azula propelled herself up with firebending.

"Oh no. I'm not riding on a giant snot monster."

Azula scoffed. "Well, unless another giant monster comes by, you'll get to spend the rest of your pitiful existence on this block of ice."

"Ha, ha." Said Sokka, but he climbed in nonetheless.

"First time flyers, hold on tight. Appa, yip-yip!"

Appa roared, jumped into the air and belly flopped into the water.

"Truly amazing." Clapped Sokka sarcastically.

Katara shot him an angry glance.

"Appa's just a little tired. We're going to have to swim for a while." Aang had a sheepish smile on his face.

Katara glances at Aang. "By the way, do you know what happened to the Avatar?"

"Oh, no. I didn't know him. I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't. Sorry."

"That's okay. Are you going to sleep now?" Katara asked.

"Yeah. You?"

Katara shook her head. "Azula and I have this tradition. We stargaze every night when the sky is clear."

Aang nodded. "Alright. Good night Katara."

"Good night." Katara crawled over to the back of the saddle where Azula was waiting.

As soon as both Sokka and Aang's breathing shallowed, the princess looked over to Katara. "Okay, spill."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do. You have a crush on Aang."

Even in the pale moonlight, Katara's blush was visible, in her cheeks. "Just don't tell him, okay."

"As much as I love embarrassing people over their crushes, I won't. Only for you."

"Thanks, Sister by choice." Katara laughed.

"Anytime, Friend by chance."

They made it back to the village by dawn. They told Kanna their story and set Aang up in their igloo.

It was around noon when Azula was talking to Niyok, telling their story with "all the juicy details."

"And then, the bison sneezed and covered Sokka in green snot." Both girls laughed.

"Aang, this is the entire village. Entire village, Aang." Katara's voice rang out.

Aang bows respectfully toward the villagers, but most of them cower away in fear, just like they did when little Azula glared at them for the first time, bringing a surprised look to Katara and Aang's faces.

"Uh, why are they all looking at me like that? Did Appa sneeze on me?"

"Well, no one has seen an airbender in a hundred years. We thought they were extinct, until my granddaughters and grandson found you." Kanna said.

"Extinct? First Azula and now you, why are you saying that they're extinct?"

Katara gestured towards Kanna. "Aang, this is Kanna, our grandmother."

Kanna nodded. "Call me Gran Gran."

Sokka walks toward Aang and abruptly snatches his staff out of his hands and starts to examine it. "What is this, a weapon? You can't stab anything with this!"

Aang used a small air current to get his staff back. "It's not for stabbing! It's for airbending." He opened his staff into a glider, making Sokka gasp in fright, which causes Azula, Niyok and Katara to laugh.

"Magic trick! Do it again!" Called out a girl,

"Not magic, airbending. It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly." Aang explained.

Sokka scoffed. "You know, last time I checked, humans can't fly!"

"Check again!"

Aang grabs hold of his glider and pushes himself off the ground, leaving Katara, Azula, Niyok and Sokka to cover their faces against the sudden wind. The village stared in awe as Aang made loops and turns in the sky.

Aang's shadow passed over Katara, who smiled broadly at him. Aang, intending to further impress the villagers, flew sideways and promptly crashes head-on into the village's watchtower, causing his head get stuck in it. The girls burst out laughing once again as Aang tries to get out. Once he succeeds, he tumbles downward onto a pile of snow at the base of the tower. Katara immediately rushed to his side while Sokka stares in shock.

"My watchtower!"

Katara, Azula and Niyok ran towards Aang, who was lying in the snow.

Katara pulled Aang out of the snow. "That was amazing!"

Sokka ran towards his watchtower and tried, unsuccessfully, to fix it. "Great. You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender, Princess Blue-Flame over there is a firebender. Together you can just waste time all day long."

Aang looked over to Katara in surprise. "You're a waterbender?"

"Well, sort of. Not yet." Katara wrung her hands nervously.

"You're a firebender?" He turned to Azula. "And a princess?"

Azula sighed. "Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. Daughter of Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa. Sister to Crown Prince Zuko, blah, blah, blah. You know what, it doesn't matter."

Kanna walked over to the group. "All right, no more playing. Come on, girls, you have chores."

Katara walks off with Kanna to make lunch while Azula goes with Niyok and some of the other girls to sew fur blankets for the upcoming big winter.

"That Aang kid truly is something, isn't he." Commented Niyok as they were sewing.

"You can say that again." Azula rolled her eyes.

Hours later, the girls were finally done with their batch of furs. They walked outside, just in time to see a firework go off from the abandoned ship a few ways off from the village.

Azula ran towards the newly reconstructed watch tower, swiftly climbing to the top and looking out onto the horizon.

Among the late November fog, Azula saw a Fire Nation ship heading swiftly towards the coastline.

_Oh no._

**A/N: This chapter was harder to write that the rest since I haven't rewritten an episode script before. I'm really sorry if it feels a little stiff since I directly referenced the transcript of The Boy in the Iceberg on Avatar Wiki.**

**Also, the transcripts of the episodes are longer that my own chapters, so the lengths of the chapters are going to go from 1000-1500 words to around 2000-2500 words,**

**Azula's reunion with Zuko is up next!**

**-AvatarNia**


	10. Chapter 9

"Where have you been?" Demanded Azula as soon as Katara and Aang returned to the village.

"Nowhere." Aang barely spared the villagers a glance before returning his full attention to the kids that surrounded him.

"I knew it!" Sokka pointed an accusing finger at Aang. "You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?"

Katara came to his defense. "It's not Aang's fault, it was an accident!"

"Yeah, we went to the abandoned ship, it was booby trapped and we kinda, booby-ed into it."

Kanna shook her head "Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship! Now we could all be in danger!"

Aang's voice turned sorrowful. "Don't blame Katara. I brought her there. It's my fault."

"Aha! The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy. The foreigner is banished from our village!"

Katara clenched her fists. "Sokka, you're making a mistake."

"A mistake?" Azula cut in. "Katara, there is a Fire Nation ship heading for the village, I saw it. What do you think will happen if- no, when- they figure out who I am? They won't care for the village, they'll use all their forces to bring me back to the Fire Nation. Back to my father. My uncle will be executed for treason and I don't even know what will happen to me. The only thing I do know is that you will never see me again!"

Katara started at her friend in shock. "But...but you can fight them off, right? You're Princess Azula, the greatest firebender in the world, remember?"

"How many do you think I could fight? Ten? Twenty? Who knows how many they'd send. And they won't stop. We can never live in peace anymore, only in fear. All because you went to that stupid ship!"

"Get out of our village! Now!" Shouted Sokka.

"Gran Gran, please. Don't let Sokka do this!" Pleaded Katara.

"Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. "Sokka is right. I think it best if the airbender leaves."

Katara was outraged. "Fine! Then I'm banished, too! Come on Aang, let's go."

"Where do you think you're going?" Demanded Sokka.

"To find a waterbender. Aang is taking me to the North Pole."

Aang's nose scrunched up in confusion. "I am? Great!"

"Would you really choose him over your tribe?" Asked Sokka. "Your own family? Your sister?"

Katara stopped in her tracks and looked at the village. Could she really leave it behind? Her tribe, her family, her sister? She looked at Aang with sad eyes.

"Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family." Said Aang.

"So, you're leaving the South Pole? This is goodbye?"

Aang nodded. "Thanks for penguin sledding with me."

"But, where will you go?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Guess I'll go back home and look for the airbenders." His eyes widened. "Wow, I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that. It was nice meeting everyone." He jumped on Appa's head.

"You won't find them!" Azula burst out. "They're gone, extinct, dead. My great grandfather's army burned the Air Temples and killed every last one!"

"That can't be true." Aang countered. "My people are nomads. Even if what you're saying is true, they wouldn't be all cooped up in the temples."

Azula narrowed her eyes. "I warned you. Get out of here, Air Boy."

Sokka crossed his arms. "Let's see your bison fly now."

Aang patted Appa's forehead encouragingly. "Come on Appa, you can do it. Yip-yip!" He flicked the reins, but Appa merely growls.

"Yeah, I thought so!" Sokka mocked.

A small girl ran up to the bison. "Aang, don't go! I'll miss you!"

Aang smiled sadly. "I'll miss you, too." He looked down at Appa. "Come on, boy."

Appa turned and plodded away, disappearing over the hill. The young girl sighed and trudged back to the village, while Katara remained standing in the snow.

Kanna out a consoling hand on Katara's shoulder. "Katara, you'll feel better after you-"

"You happy now? There goes my one chance at becoming a waterbender!"

Katara walked away, leaving Kanna behind. Then, she turned and looked at her other granddaughter. "What's bothering you, Azula?"

The girl sighed. "I'm just worried. If the Fire Nation finds out about me, the tribe may not survive the attacks. I mean, Sokka and I are the only warriors in the village, what if we can't fight all of the soldiers on that ship?

"The you better go get prepared for battle. You're Princess Azula, you probably had more intense training than anyone on that ship. I believe in you."

Azula nodded and ran off to join Sokka in the preparations.

"All right, ready our defenses! The Fire Nation could be on our shores any moment now!" Sokka commanded.

Azula rolled her eyes, was he really trying to make soldiers out of five year old boys?

A small boy stopped and danced around. "But I gotta…"

"And no potty breaks!" Azula interfered. Now was not the time.

Sokka nodded in thanks. "Come on, battle time."

Azula rushed into her room, digging through an old bag until she found what she was looking for. The crown of the Fire Nation princess.

Since moving to the tribe, she started preferring to wear her hair down, as it helped protect her neck from the cold. But now, it was time to done her old top knot.

She was never great at putting up her hair, but the anxiousness from the upcoming battle made her fingers even more shaky.

"Let me help." Katara appeared in the room. She crossed to Azula's bed and swiftly put her hair up, tying in the crown. The princess smiled in appreciation.

"I'm sorry. About Aang." Azula confessed.

"It's okay. Guess I'm not destined to be a waterbender."

Azula turned to face Katara. "Don't you dare say that. You have bending for a reason, and you're gonna learn to use it. And I'll help you. Your my sister, Katara, helping is what sisters do."

The Water Tribe girl nodded. "Go kick some Fire Nation butt, Azula."

Sokka ran into the room. "The ship is closing in!"

Azula took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

The villagers stood in a semi circle, close to the igloos. The ship broke into the ice as the walkway slowly lowered. Azula was expecting an army, but instead she saw a single young man.

He wore a helmet that obscured most of his face, but she could still see the red scar that stood out against his pale skin, covering his left eye. His eyes were golden, a common color among the Fire Nation people, but there was something familiar about them, something she once saw in the eyes of a young prince.

The prince she never thought she would see again.

The word that fell from her lips was just a whisper, but it held so much meaning.

"Zuko."

He descended from the ship along with the two guards. Sokka and Azula looked at each other, nodding. Sokka let out a battle cry and charged at the prince, swinging his club. The boy run up the walkway, but Zuko merely kicked the club out of his hand and shoved to the right, where he fell and got his head stuck in the snow. Sokka desperately tried to free himself as Zuko continued down to the village, followed by six more men. Azula cringed at her friend's poor attempt and quick defeat.

"Where are you hiding him?" Zuko called out once he reached the villagers. Azula was still crouched in the snow, just out of view, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Zuko surveyed the crowd of villagers, who fell completely silent. Without warning, he extended his arm out into the crowd and grabbed Kanna, holding her by the hood of her parka.

"He'd be about this age, master of all elements?" He shoved Kanna back into the crowd, where Katara and Niyok caught her.

Receiving no response, Zuko released an arc of fire at the villagers, but it never reached them.

Azula pounced from her spot in the snow and blocked the flames.

"Don't you ever touch my grandmother again." And with that, she sent a stream of blue at the prince. He extinguished the fire before it could burn him.

His gaze hardened. "Azula."

"Missed me, Zuzu?"

He growled in anger and the battle began. Red and blue flames clashed as the two siblings fought. Sokka watched from a distance, having freed himself from the snow. He fought Azula multiple times before, too many to count, but he has never seen her use the azure fire with such ferocity. Never has he been on the receiving end of her blind rage.

Sometime during the fight, Azula knocked off the helmet. The scar that marred his face reached all the way to his left ear.

"Did you burn yourself, Zuzu? Don't tell me that you are still as incompetent as you used to be."

Zuko scowled. "Father banished me and sent me to capture the Avatar."

"The Avatar hasn't been seen for 100 years. Father just wanted to get rid of you." Said Azula as she dodged a fireball.

"I've known that you were alive all along, Azula. Uncle was never great at hiding his stuff." He ducked under a stream of fire.

Azula's eyes widened as Zuko smirked. "If I can't bring father the Avatar, then I'll bring him his daughter."

Zuko caught Azula's wrist, but the girl just laughed. "What do you think will happen if you bring me back? That father will just restore your honor? No! He sent you after the Avatar, and he won't accept anything but the Avatar. If you return to the Fire Nation without him, even if you bring me, there will only one outcome, Zuzu." She leaned in close to his ear. "Dad's going to kill you!"

Zuko froze as the same words that he heard from Azula the night his mother disappeared sunk in. Azula took the opportunity to sink her nails into his hand, forcing him to let go. She kicked him in the knee and shoved him on the ground. Putting her foot on his chest, she brought a fire dagger to his throat.

"Azula, let him go."

Azula looked up and saw Aang standing next to Katara. Reluctantly, she let Zuko go, but not before giving him a good kick in the side. She walked over to stand by Katara as Zuko stood up with a scowl on his face.

Aang stepped forward. "Looking for me?"

"You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?"

Katara gasped. "Aang?"

Azula raised both eyebrows. "You're the Avatar?"

Sokka looked bewildered. "No way!"

Zuko and Aang starting moving in a circular pattern, both awaiting the attack of the other.

"I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training, meditating. You're just a child!"

Aang tilted his head to the side. "Well, you're just a teenager."

Zuko launched a series of fire blasts at Aang, who defended himself by twirling his staff, dissipating the flames. Zuko fired another blast at Aang, who twirled his staff once again to ward the attack off. The villagers cowered as the flames streamed just above their heads. Aang's eyes widened in horror at the sight of the frightened villagers. He stopped defending himself and folded his glider.

"If I go with you, will you promise to leave the tribe, including Azula, alone?"

"Aang, don't you dare!" Warned Azula

"I'll do anything to make them leave you guys alone, it's what the Avatar is supposed to do." He turned to Zuko. "Well, do you promise?"

After a brief moment of hesitation, Zuko nodded. His men take his staff and lead him away. Katara runs forward in desperation.

"No! Aang, don't do this!"

"Don't worry, Katara. It'll be okay. Take care of Appa for me until I get back." He responded.

Zuko boarded his ship. "Head a course for the Fire Nation. I'm going home."

Aang smiled meekly as the bow of the ship locked in place. The villagers dispersed, leaving only Sokka, Katara and Azula behind.

Azula kicked Zuko's helmet which was still lying in the snow. Katara looked over to her with concern. "You okay?"

The princess growled. "I _HATE _him! Of all the people in was _him _who had to show up. Now he has Aang, the world last hope for peace, _and _proof that I'm alive. We can go ahead and say goodbye to our old lives. With the Avatar, the Fire Nation basically won the war.

"But, Aang made Zuko promise to leave you alone." Reasoned Katara.

"Exactly, he made _Zuko _promise to leave me alone. He said nothing about my father." She took out the crown and let her hair down. "The second Zuko brings Aang back, he'll start spewing some nonsense about how he fought me for the Avatar. And then dad will know that I'm alive and he'll force me back and all of my Uncle's hard work will be for nothing."

Katara waited until Sokka trudged off. "We could always go after him."

"Go after him?" Azula snorted. "The two of us, on a canoe. We'd never catch up, considering both of us don't even know how to sail a canoe."

"We could ask Sokka." Suggested Katara.

Azula rolled her eyes. "Fine, but you're doing it." And with that she walked back to the igloo.

Later that day, Katara approached her brother. "We have to go after that ship, Sokka. Aang saved our tribe, now we have to save him."

"Katara, I-"

Azula walked up to the siblings. "It's true, Sokka. He made Zuko leave the village in peace with all the villagers unharmed."

Katara nodded. "Why can't you realize that he's on our side? If we don't help him, no one will. I know you don't like Aang, but we owe him and-"

Sokka cut them off. "Are you two gonna talk all day, or are you coming with me?" He gestured to a canoe in the water.

Both girls ran over and hugged their brother

"Get in, we're going to save your boyfriend."

Katara sputtered. "He- he's not my boyfriend!"

"He better not be." Muttered Azula.

Sokka shrugged. "Whatever."

"What do you three think you're doing?"

The three siblings whirled around and tried to look as innocent as possible.

Kanna smiled warmly and held up their sleeping bags. "You'll need these. You have a long journey ahead of you."

The siblings glance at each other in surprise as Kanna faced Katara. "It's been so long since I've had hope, but you brought it back to life, my little waterbender." She hugged Katara, who took the sleeping bags and threw them into the canoe.

She turned to Sokka next. "And you, my brave warrior, have courage and protect your sisters." She pulled the embarrassed boy into an embrace.

Sokka pat her back. "Yeah, okay Gran Gran."

Finally, she walked over to Azula. "My bright star, even though I didn't know you for as long as your siblings, you're still my granddaughter. No matter what happens, you will always be welcome in the Southern Water Tribe." Azula was the one who threw her arms around Kanna as the old woman chuckled.

"Gran Gran?" Azula spoke up. "Could you keep this safe for me?" She pulled out her crown and gave it to Kanna. "I won't need it where I'm going."

The woman nodded. "Aang is the Avatar. He's the world's only chance. You three found him for a reason. Now your destinies are intertwined with his." With a proud smile, she walked off.

Azula glanced at the canoe. "We'll never be able to catch up to a battle ship."

There was a growl as Appa appeared over the icy hill on the horizon. The two girls look over at each other and ran towards him.

Sokka rolled his eyes. "You just love taking me out of my comfort zone, don't you?"

Katara and Sokka climbed into the saddle while Azula chose to sit on his head. Appa dropped into the water and lazily swam in the direction of Zuko's ship.

A short time later Appa has still not gone airborne. Katara crawled over to join Azula on Appa's head while Sokka remained in the saddle.

"Go. Fly. Soar."

Katara Pate's the bison's head. "Please, Appa. We need your help. Aang needs your help."

"Up. Ascend. Elevate."

"Would you stop that?" Shouted Azula.

"Sokka doesn't believe you can fly, but I do, Appa. Katara stroked the fur. "Come on, don't you want to save Aang?"

Sokka sighed. "What was it that kid said? Yee-haw? Hup-hup? Wah-hoo?"

"Um...Yip-Yip?" Tried Azula.

The three jerked at the sudden movement as Appa beta his tail against the water. After what appeared to be a brief running start, he pushed off and soared through the air.

"You did it, Azula!" Exclaimed Katara.

Sokka looked over the edge of the saddle. "He's flying! He's flying! Katara, he's-"

The two girls smirked at their brother. Sokka scowled.

"I mean, big deal. He's flying."

An hour later, the three caught up to the ship, where Zuko and Aang were fighting. Appa let out a growl to alert the pair of his presence.

Aang looked up, ecstatic. "Appa!"

He turned around to face Zuko and managed to deflect a firebending attack by spinning his glider. However, that propelled him into the air and he landed on the ledge of the deck. He regained his balance only for Zuko to fire another blast at him. He deflected the attack. Two more blasts were fired his way before he lost his grip on his glider and it landed several feet away. Aang ducked, spun and leaped out of the way of the blasts as Zuko hurled more his way. Aang held up his hands in defense, but the last blast knocked him off the ship and into the water, where he slowly sunk.

"Aang! No!" Screamed Katara.

When it seemed that all hope was lost, Aang erupted from the surface, riding a humongous spinning water vortex, his eyes and tattoos glowing.

Zuko looked up in horror. Aang landed, summoning the water. It swirled around him, forming a protective circle, before spreading outward, knocking Zuko and several soldiers over the edge. Sokka, Katara and Azula leaned over the side of Appa's saddle, watching in shock.

"Did you see what he just did?!" Exclaimed Katara.

Azula shook her head. "That kid is truly something."

"Now _that_," Sokka stated. "Was some waterbending!"

Aang collapsed on the deck, his eyes and tattoos ceasing to glow. Appa landed on the deck, the trio slid off and ran towards the unconscious Avatar.

Katara kneeled next to him. "Aang! Are you okay?"

Aang's voice was weak. "Hey, Katara. Hey, Sokka. Hey, Azula. Thanks for coming."

Sokka chuckled. "Well, couldn't let you have all the glory."

"I dropped my staff."

Sokka nodded and ran to get it, only to see Zuko's hand firmly grasping the other end. The prince attempted to pull himself upward onto the deck. The two struggle for a bit before Sokka poked Zuko repeatedly in the head with the end of the staff. The latter grunted and fell backward as he let go of the staff. He nearly dropped into the water but managed to grasp the anchor chain.

Sokka had a triumphant smile on his face. "Ha! That's from the Water Tribe!"

Katara and Azula helped Aang to the head of the bison. Three soldiers, who came back after being knocked down by Aang's water attack, approached the girls menacingly. Katara took a step back and bent a stream of water from the puddle, causing the men to slow down and gasp in surprise. She swung her arms around in an attempt to whip them, but only succeeded in freezing a channel of water behind her on the deck, encasing Sokka's legs in ice in the process.

"Katara!" Sokka complained.

The soldiers resumed their approach. Katara turned around, her back facing them and drew another stream of water. She closed her eyes tightly and swung her arms behind her, freezing one of the soldiers in a casing of ice, his arm extended outward to her, still twitching in effort to grab her. She backed away slowly, before turning and running towards Appa. She climbed on while Sokka was still trying to cut himself free by smashing the ice with his boomerang.

"Hurry up, Sokka!" Shouted Azula.

"Hey! I didn't ask for all this flying and magic!"

Azula sent a burst of flame at his feet. "Thanks, Princess." He said before grabbing her hand and racing up Appa's tail. "Yip-yip! Yip-yip!"

Just as Appa took off, an old man emerged from the cabin, looking at the bison in surprise. He looked up and locked eyes with Azula, before smiling and nodding. The princess found herself nodding back.

"Wait, is that-?" Katara began.

"Uncle Iroh." Azula whispered in return. "He must have gone with Zuko when he was banished."

Zuko glared angrily. "Shoot them down!"

The soldiers worked together to send a big blast of fire after them. Aang stood up and used a gust of wind to block it. He dropped back into the saddle as Appa soared away. The wind caused an avalanche which ran right into Zuko's ship.

The four friends were calming down from the adrenaline of the began to set. Aang perched on the rim of the saddle, Sokka and Katara sat at the back of it while Azula unfolded the sleeping bags.

Katara looked up. "How did you do that? With the water? It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"

"I don't know. I just sort of...did it." Aang answered quietly.

"So, why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar, Air boy?" Asked Azula.

Aang turned away. "Because...I never wanted to be."

"Aang, the world's been waiting for the Avatar to return and finally put an end to this war." Katara tried.

"And how am I going to do that?"

Sokka nodded. "Yeah, how _are _you going to do that, Air Boy?"

"Back at the Fire Nation Royal Academy for Girls, I was taught that the Avatar needs to master air, water, earth and then fire." Said Azula,

"That's what the monks told me." Aang agreed.

Katara brightened. "Well, if we go to the North Pole, you can master waterbending!"

Aang turned to face her. "We can learn it together!"

Azula narrowed her eyes at the boy. "Well if you'll learn waterbending at the North Pole, and I can teach you firebending, how are you going to learn earth?"

"I'm sure we can find a teacher in the Earth Kingdom." Aang said after a moment.

Katara smiled at her brother. "And Sokka, I'm sure you'll get to knock some firebender heads on the way."

" I'd like that. I'd really like that." Sokka smirked.

"Then we're in this together!" Katara said cheerfully.

Aang pulled out a map. "All right, but before I learn waterbending, we have some serious business to attend to, here, here and here."

"What's there?" Asked Katara.

"Here, we'll ride the hopping llamas. Then way over here, we'll surf on the backs of giant koi fish. Then back over here, we'll ride the hog monkeys. They don't like people riding them, but that's what makes it fun!"

"Hey, Katara? Mind helping me with my hair?"

Katara looked at Azula in confusion. "What wrong with it?"

"It gets in the way when it's down and I don't want to put it in a top knot anymore." She explained. "Can you do something about it?"

Katara crawled over and sat behind her sister. After a minute of hesitation, she pulled Azula's hair into a ponytail. "There. Now it won't get in the way."

"Thanks."

Azula stared at the sunset. This was the first time she left the South Pole in six years. She didn't even say goodbye to Niyok. And that boy, not only did Katara have a crush on him, but she saw the way he looked at Katara and he better not try anything.

_Am I jealous? I can't feel jealous about her having a crush! she's my sister, for Agni's sake!_

Throwing the thoughts out of her head, she peered over the eve of the saddle at the ocean below them.

_This is going to be the adventure of a lifetime._

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I decided to give Azula a new hairstyle to show that she's different from canon Azula. It's supposed to look like the ponytail she had when Zuko woke her up to ask why she didn't tell Ozai that she killed Aang. (I forgot the name of the episode.)**

**I'm still on the fence about pairings, it's between Kataang and Azutara. You can tell me which one you want in the reviews. Also, in the last chapter I said that the chapters will be between 2000 and 2500 words, but the number is actually around 4000, so the chapters will be rather long.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-AvatarNia**


	11. Chapter 10

The sun just started it's journey across the sky, peeking out over the cliffs. The beams of the morning sun reflected on the water, bathing the group's camp in a soft yellow light. On the shore, Appa chewed on grass while Aang tied reins to his horns. Katara loaded their luggage into the saddle, chatting happily with the boy. Azula meditated by the embers that remained from last night's campfire, Sokka was next to her, snoring in his sleeping bag.

"Wait until you see it, Katara! The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world!"

"Aang, I know you're excited, but it has been a hundred years since you've been home." Katara cautioned.

Aang smiled. "That's why I'm so excited!"

"It's just that...A lot can change in all that time."

"I know, but I need to see it for myself."

Azula opened her eyes. "Don't get your hopes up, Air Boy. When I was a little girl, I was taught that my great grandfather destroyed all the Air Nomads. It's unlikely anyone survived the-"

"Would you stop that?" Aang interrupted. "Ever since we started this journey, you've been going on and on about your great grandfather killing my people. I survived, didn't I? Maybe someone else did, too.

Aang jumped off Appa, landing next to his sleeping friend. "Wake up, Sokka! Air Temple, here we come!"

"Sleep now. Temple later." Sokka grunted, falling back asleep.

Aang blinked in surprise before smiling mischievously and grabbing a nearby stick.

He ran the stick along Sokka's sleeping bag. "Sokka! Wake up! There's a prickle snake in your sleeping bag!"

Sokka lazily opened one eye and yelled out in horror. "Get it off! Get it off!" He got up and hopped along the shore, not lasting two hops before falling over.

Katara and Azula laughed at their brother's misfortune, said brother glaring at them from the ground.

"Great! You're awake! Let's go!"

Later, the four were flying over the a mountain range. Aang and Katara were sitting atop Appa's head with Sokka and Azula in the back of the saddle.

Azula scowled as Sokka's stomach growled for the fifth time in ten minutes. "If you woke up earlier, there might have been some breakfast left for you."

"Well sorry we can't all wake up at the crack of dawn, Princess." Sokka rolled his eyes before looking at his stomach. "Hey, stomach? Be quiet, all right? I'm trying to find us some food."

He dug through the luggage, pulling out a bag. With his tongue out of his mouth in full anticipation, he stuck his hand in the bag, before turning it upside down and shaking it. Instead of food, only a few crumbs fell into his gloved hand.

"Hey! Who ate all of my blubbered seal jerky?!"

Aang looked surprised. "Oh. That was food? I kinda used it to start the campfire last night. Sorry."

"You what?!" Sokka demanded. "No wonder the flames smelled so good."

Aang happily ignored the Water Tribe boy's outrage. "The Patola Mountain range! We're almost there!"

"Aang, before we get to the temple, I want to talk to you about the airbenders." Katara started uneasily.

"If you're going to claim that all my people are dead again, you can save it." Aang grumbled.

"I know, I know. I just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless." She frowned. "They killed my mother. The cruelty of the Fire Lord is the reason Azula grew up in the South Pole. Just...keep your mind open to all of the possibilities."

Aang pondered over her words. "Just because no one has seen an airbender, doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed them all. They probably escaped!"

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know it's hard to accept-"

"You two just don't understand. The only way to get to an airbender temple is on a flying bison, and I doubt the Fire Nation had any flying bison!" He caressed Appa's head. "Right, Appa?"

Appa grunted in response. Aang smiled. "Yip yip!"

The bison growled and gained speed, circling the mountain. The three siblings clutched the saddle tightly while Aang only laughed. Appa flew over a tree covered ridge, revealing the majestic structure.

"There it is, the Southern Air Temple!"

Katara's eyes widened. "Aang, it's amazing!"

"It's better than anything I've ever seen." Azula was impressed. "And the Fire Nation has _lots_ of temples."

Aang pat the bison's head. "We're home, buddy! We're home."

Appa landed at the base of snow covered stairs. Aang laughed as he raced ahead of his friends, excitedly looking back at the three. Azula and Katara looked around, gaping at the magnificence of the temple, while Sokka had other things on his mind.

"So where do I get something to eat?"

Katara's eye twitched from irritation. "You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an airbender temple, and all you can think about is food?"

"If you don't count the thousands of soldiers who marched up these very stairs one hundred years ago." Azula muttered.

"Azula!" Katara glared. "Don't say that!"

Sokka shrugged. "I'm just a simple guy, with simple needs."

"Come on, you three!" With a roll of their eyes, Katara, Sokka and Azula ran to catch up to Aang, who gave them the tour.

"So that's where my friends and I would play airball, and over there is where the bison would sleep, and…" The boy trailed off, looking at the deserted remains of his home.

"What's wrong?" Asked Katara.

Aang sighed. "This place used to be full of monks and lemurs and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds. I can't believe how much things have changed."

The three siblings shared a sympathetic look behind the boy's back.

"So uh, this airball game." Sokka tried to lighten the mood. "How do you play?"

Aang's face cleared up, causing the two sisters to smile. The airbender smiled too, looking at Sokka from the corner of his eyes. With a mischievous smirk, the four raced to the airball field.

Sokka, a look of contraction on his face, stood on a pole, guarding the goalpost. On the other side of the court, Aang stood on one of the taller poles, suspending a hollow ball in the air. He played with it for a while, letting it roll over his shoulders and tossing it from side to side. Smiling innocently, he jumped and kicked the ball away with a powerful air swipe. It rapidly shot across the poles, switching direction and steadily moving closer toward Sokka. The ball hit him right in the stomach, the force of impact sending him flying backwards, right through the rotating door of the goal behind him.

"Aang, seven! Sokka, zero!"

Azula cringed from her spot near Katara. "That must have hurt."

"Making him feel better is putting me in a world of pain." Sokka nearly stood up, before noticing something in the snow and crawling over to it. "Katara, Azula, check this out!"

The girls walked over and saw a chunk of metal in the snow. Azula crouched next to Sokka and examined it.

"Fire Nation helmet." She stated. "From around one hundred years ago."

"We should tell him." Sokka said.

Katara nodded. "Aang! There's something you need to see!"

As Aang ran closer, the confident look on Katara's face changed to one of unsureness. She glanced at the helmet and back at the approaching boy. With one swift motion, she covered the helmet, along with Sokka and Azula, with a layer of snow.

"What is it?"

Sokka and Azula brushed off the snow, looking questioningly at Katara, who threw them an apologetic look.

"Uh...Just a new waterbending move I learned."

Aang laughed. "Nice one! But enough practicing, we have a whole temple to see!"

Azula crossed her arms. "You know, Katara, you can't protect him forever."

Katara ignored the words, choosing to walk after Aang instead.

"Firebenders were here. You can't pretend they weren't." Sokka added.

"I can for Aang's sake. If he finds out that the Fire Nation invaded his home, he'll be devastated."

"Hey guys!" Aang called out. "I want you to meet somebody!"

The trio walked over, Azula still giving her sister a disapproving look. Sokka looked at the statue before them and cocked his head. "Who's that?"

"Monk Gyatso! The greatest airbender in the world." Aang answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "He taught me everything I know."

Aang bowed to the statue and stayed that way for a moment, as if remembering something. He looked up with sad eyes.

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder. "You must miss him."

"Yeah." The boy walked away.

"Where are you going?" The waterbender asked.

"The air temple sanctuary." Aang started walking up the stairs. "There's someone I'm ready to meet."

The four entered the temple, walking down the hallway and stopping in front of a big wooden door.

Katara looked at the airbender sceptingly. "But Aang, no one could have survived in there for a hundred years."

"It's not impossible. I survived in the iceberg for that long."

"Good point." Katara agreed.

Aang looked over his shoulder. "Katara, whoever's in there might help figure out this Avatar thing!"

"And whoever's in there might have a medley of delicious cured meats!" Sokka added.

"Even if there was an airbender in there," Azula rolled her eyes, "I doubt that they would have any meat. Air Nomads were vegetarians."

Full of anticipation, longing and ignorance, Sokka charged at the door, smacking into it, head first. Persisting in his quest for meat, he turned and tried to push the door open. When the door didn't budge, he sighed and slid down to the floor, disappointed.

"I don't suppose you have a key?"

"The key, Sokka, is airbending."

Aang took a deep breath. He spread his arms and pushed them forward, sending an air current into both of the tubes on the door. The wind made one of the curled tubes turn around, changing colors from blue to purple. The air current blew out like a horn.

The process was repeated for the other two tubes as well. Once all three turned purple, the door creaked and swung open.

Aang cupped his hands in front of his mouth. "Hello? Anyone home?"

Azula went in first, creating a flame in her hand and illuminating the room in a faint bluish light. "There is something in here." She said, making the flame burn stronger. The room brightened up, revealing hundreds of statues.

Sokka was disappointed. "Statues? That's it? Where's the meat?"

"We're in a room full of hundred, possibly thousand, year old statues, and you're still going on about meat?" Azula groaned. "You're insufferable!"

"Who are all these people?" Asked Katara.

Aang looked pensive. "I'm not sure. But it feels like I know them, somehow." He pointed at a statue with airbending tattoos. "Look! That one's an airbender."

Katara pointed at a statue of a man dressed in Water Tribe clothes next to the airbender. "And this one's a waterbender. They're lined up in a pattern: air, water, earth and fire."

"That's the Avatar Cycle." Aang said.

Katara's eyes widened. "Of course. They're Avatars. All these people are your past lives, Aang."

"My past lives? There are so many!"

"The Avatar _has_ been around for about nine thousand, nine hundred and twenty nine years." Azula stated.

"That's rather...exact." Katara muttered.

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Past lives? You really believe in that stuff?

"It's true, actually." Azula threw Sokka a disapproving glance. "When the Avatar dies, he's reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle."

"How do you know all of that?" Katara asked incredulously.

Azula shrugged. "Learned it in school once."

Aang stared at the statue with wide eyes, mesmerized. Katara narrowed her eyes at him before shaking his shoulder lightly. "Aang! Snap out of it!"

Aang blinked. "Huh?"

"Who is that?" Katara followed his gaze.

"That's Avatar Roku. The Avatar before me."

"You were a firebender?" Sokka asked. "No wonder I didn't trust you when-" he cut himself off when he caught Azula's glare out of the corner of his eye.

"There's no writing." Katara looked at the base of the statue. "How do you know his name?"

"I'm not sure. I just know it somehow."

Azula nodded. "That is Avatar Roku. I saw a portrait in school once."

"You just couldn't get any weirder." Sokka told Aang before looking at Azula. "And what is it with you and knowing all these random facts?"

Azula was about to retort when the four heard a sound. Turning, they saw a shadow approaching them and dove behind the statues to hide. Azula extinguished her flame.

"Fire Nation soldier! Nobody make a sound." Sokka whispered.

"You're making a sound!" Katara said, irritated.

Aang and Sokka shushed her. The girls sent them a glare, which Sokka ignored, raising his club. "That firebender won't know what hit him."

The shadow reached the bases of the statues. Sokka leaped out, his club at the ready, but lowered it as soon as he saw that the shadow wasn't a firebender, but a flying lemur.

Aang, Katara and Azula peeked from behind their statues as well. The lemur cocked its head and blinked at them.

"Lemur!" Aang exclaimed.

Sokka drooled. "Dinner!"

"Don't listen to him. You're going to be my new pet!"

"Not if I get him first!"

The two jumped at the animal, who hopped away, causing them to fall. The boys got up and ran after it.

"Wait! Come back!" Aang called out.

"I want to eat you!" Sokka shouted.

Azula and Katara rolled their eyes, shook their heads and laughed. "Boys."

The sisters kept laughing, until they noticed the glow of the statues. The eyes, and sometimes tattoos, on each one, glowed. Sharing a look, the two ran after the boys.

They reached a big hall, where they heard Sokka talking to the airbender, the voice coming from behind a curtain. Pushing the curtain aside, the sisters saw Aang's eyes and tattoos glowing, like the statues. He was kneeling next to a skeleton in airbender robes.

Sokka touched Aang's shoulder. "Come on, Aang. Everything will be alright. Let's get out of here."

"Aang!" Katara called out worryingly. Sokka glanced at her before turning back to the airbender.

A wind picks up, Aang's clothes sway heavily. Sokka desperately tried to bring him back to reality. "Aang! Come on! Snap out of it!"

"What happened?" Azula shouted over the wind.

"He found out the Fire Nation killed Gyatso!" Sokka answered.

"It's his Avatar Spirit!" Guessed Katara. "He must have triggered it! I'm going to try and calm him down!"

"Don't you dare!" Azula grabbed Katara's hand to stop her from running forward.

Sokka held on to a rock in an attempt to keep himself from being blown away. "Let her go, Azula. Katara, do it! Before he blows us off the mountain!"

Reluctantly, the princess let her sister go. Katara fought the storm to get to Aang. She got pushed back by the strong wind currents that fill the remains of the building. She glanced back at her siblings, who we holding onto the rocks for dear life. She took a deep breath and raised her voice, so Aang could hear her through the wind.

"Aang! I know you're upset and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I went through the same thing when I lost my mom. Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone, but you still have a family. Sokka, Azula and I! We're your family now!"

Aang's eyes and tattoos start glowing more faintly as he began to descend. The three siblings ran up to him, kneeling gently by his side.

"Azula, Katara and I aren't going to let anything happen to you. Promise." Said Sokka in a surprisingly gentle tone.

Katara took Aang's hand. The moment she did, the glowing faded away. His eyes and arrows also stopped glowing. He looked at the siblings sadly before collapsing from exhaustion in Katara's arms.

"I'm sorry."

Katara gave him a sad smile. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault."

"But you were right. You and Azula were right. And if the firebenders found this temple, that means they found the other ones, too. I really am the last airbender."

Katara pulled him into a hug. Sokka placed a hand on his shoulder and Azula placed one on his knee, sighing before looking him in the eye.

"Aang." She began. "I know it won't mean much, but, I just wanted to say how sorry I am for what my family did to your people. What my great grandfather did is irreversible, but I want you to know that I'm here for you. We're all here for you. I'm on your side in this war, no matter what."

Aang smiled and pulled Azula join the hug. Katara smirked and pulled Sokka down as well.

"But, how can Roku help me if I can't talk to him?"

Katara gave him a warm smile. "I'm sure you'll find a way."

Pulling apart, the four walked out into the courtyard, where Appa was waiting for them. They glanced at each other when they heard a chitter behind them. The flying lemur from before soared over and landed on Aang's shoulder.

"Hey, little guy!"

Aang stroked the fur of his bison as the lemur happily chittered. The airbender smiled at the small creature. "You, me and Appa; we're all that's left of this place. We have to stick together. Katara, Sokka, Azula, say hello to the newest member of our family!"

"What are you going to name him?" Asked Katara.

Sokka was about to take another bite of the peach he was eating when the lemur swooped down and grabbed it from his hand. Landing back on Aang's shoulder, it chittered and munched on the peach.

"Momo."

Sokka stood there, mouth open and hand in front of it, ready to take a bite. The others started to laugh upon seeing Sokka's expression. Sokka grunted and climbed into the saddle, Katara and Aang following soon behind.

Katara put a comforting arm around Aang, settling in the back of the saddle. Sokka sat next to them, still grumpy about the stolen peach, Momo on his shoulder. Azula sat cross legged on Appa's head, a map in her hands.

"Where are we off to?" She asked.

Aang gave her a big smile. "Kyoshi Island."

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The question about pairings still stands, though, as both Kataang and Azutara shippers gave valid reasons. The pairings that are decided are Sokka/Suki and Zuko/Mai, sorry if you don't like those ships. If you want to suggest other ships for Katara and Azula, I will consider them**

**The characters are meeting Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors next!**

**-AvatarNia **


	12. Chapter 11

"You have no idea where we're going, do you?" Sokka asked Aang, who was pouring over a map.

"I know it's near water."

"That's _so _helpful, Air Boy." Azula said sarcastically.

"Leave him alone, Azula." Katara reprimanded, causing Azula to roll her eyes. "By the way, why _are _we going to Kyoshi Island?"

"To ride the elephant koi." Aang blissfully ignored the bickering. "Momo, marbles please. Hey Katara, check out this airbending trick!"

Using airbending, Aang spun the two marbles, grinning widely. Katara didn't even look up from her sewing.

"That's great, Aang."

Aang frowned. "You didn't even look."

Katara attempted to show enthusiasm. "That's great!"

"But I'm not doing it now."

"Stop bugging her, airhead." Sokka spike up. "You need to give girls space when they do their sewing."

"What does me being a girl have to do with sewing?"

Sokka gave Aang a cocky smile. "Simple. Girls are better at fixing pants than guys and guys are better at hunting and fighting and stuff like that. It's just the natural order of things."

"Say that again and I'll give you a scar to match Zuzu's." Azula growled, lighting a flame in her palm and making Sokka shrink away in fear.

Katara smiled coyly. "All done with your pants! And look what a great job I did!"

She angrily tossed him the ripped pants, hitting him in the face. Sokka scrambled to free himself.

"Wait! I was just kidding. I can't wear these! Katara, please!" Sokka's pleads sent his sisters into a fit of laughter.

Aang laughed along with the girls. "Relax, Sokka. Where we're going, you won't need any pants."

Azula smirked. "That means we're either going swimming or-"

"Azula!" Katara lightly slapped her on the arm.

The princess laughed. "What?"

They were interrupted by Aang yanking Appa's reins to the left, the bison picking up speed and landing on the beach of an island.

"We just made a pit stop yesterday. Shouldn't we get a little more flying done before we camp out?" Sokka questioned.

"He's right." Katara nodded. "At this rate, we won't get to the North Pole until spring."

"No guys, this isn't just a pit stop. This is Kyoshi Island!"

"_This _is Kyoshi Island?" Azula looked around, raising an eyebrow. "I thought it would be more impressive, being named after an Avatar and all."

"This place is named after an Avatar?" Katara asked.

Azula nodded. "Avatar Kyoshi, the Avatar before Roku. She lived to be two hundred and thirty years old or something."

"As interesting as that is, we're not here to have a history lesson." Aang pulled off his clothes, leaving him in trunks. "We're here to ride the elephant koi!"

As if on cue, three elephant koi hopped out of the water. Aang smirked, ran towards the ocean and dove in.

The three siblings stood on the shore, watching the boy. Sokka made a circular motion with his finger, trying to get his sisters to realize that Aang is crazy. Azula ignored him and took off her shoes, stepping into the water. A smile appeared on her face.

"Azula, what are you doing?" Asked Katara.

"Hey, I haven't been to the beach in seven years, let me have this!" She pulled off her parka and dress, standing in the sand in her under clothes. Taking a deep breath, she leapt into the water and disappeared under the waves.

"Your sister is crazy."

"She's your sister, too."

Azula reached Aang rather quickly. Even six years in the South Pole couldn't cancel out years of swimming at Ember Island. Once she was close enough she grabbed Aang's ankle and pulled him under. He looked around with wide eyes, before seeing her mischievous smirk.

"Azula!" He splashed her once they appeared above the waves. "What was that for?"

"Just wanted to see your scared face." The princess laughed.

After a few more minutes of splashing each other, Azula spoke up. "I think I'll head back to shore."

"Aren't you gonna ride the elephant koi with me?" Aang asked.

The Fire Nation girl shook her head. "Can't leave Sokka and Katara alone for too long, who knows what they'll get up to." And with that, she swam away.

"Where'd you learn to swim anyway, Princess?" Sokka asked once Azula exited the water and pulled her parka back on.

"Ember Island." Azula answered, squeezing the remaining water out of her hair. "We used to go there every summer. My parents, Uncle Iroh, Lu Ten, Zuko and I. Back when we were a happy family." Her voice saddened.

Katara put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but the moment was interrupted by Aang's joyful laugh. Looking out onto the sea, they saw the airbender riding the elephant koi.

"He looks pretty good out there." Said Katara.

"Are you kidding? The fish is doing all the work."

Azula rolled her eyes at her brother, but laughed anyway. Turning around, she noticed Appa poking around in the bushes.

Katara noticed the same thing. "No, Appa, don't eat that!"

The sisters rushed to the bison, trying to distract him from the possibly poisonous plants, leaving Sokka to watch over the airbender.

"There's something in the water!"

Sokka's shout made the girls run back. Momo jumped onto Azula's shoulder and screeched in alarm.

"What's wrong?"

Sokka glanced at Katara. "Aang's in trouble."

"Aang! Get out of the water!" Shouted Azula.

Aang didn't hear the alarmed shouts of the siblings, and continued to laugh happily, before getting thrown off the fish he was riding. He resurfaced and gasped for breath, as the massive dorsal fin of an unknown creature emerged from the water behind him. Aang turned around and screamed.

He used his airbending to run across the surface at lighting speed, the creature following him in hot pursuit. Sokka let out a gasp as Aang collided with him. The huge fish disappeared under the waves, disappointed.

"What was that thing?" Asked Katara with wide eyes.

Aang gasped for breath. "I don't know."

"The one time you go swimming and you nearly get eaten by a giant monster. We just can't have a normal day, can we?" Azula complained.

Sokka nodded. "Well, let's not stick around and let something else happen. Time to hit the road."

But before they could board Appa, they were ambushed by several warriors. Sokka got knocked over first, followed by Katara, who got her parka pulled over her head, and Aang, distracted by Katara's struggles, got his collar grabbed and a blindfold tied over his eyes. Azula sent a stream of fire at the warriors, making them gasp. The princess smirked and got into a stance, ready to defend herself further, when Momo screeched and flew in front of her face, making her lose her balance.

"Momo!" Was all Azula could get out before a blindfold was forced onto her eyes and she was dropped onto the ground next to Sokka, Aang and Katara. Even Momo was caught into a bag.

The four were dragged and tied to a pole. They heard hushed voices around them, but couldn't see because of the blindfolds.

"You three have some explaining to do." Said a male voice.

"And if you don't answer all our questions, we're throwing you back in the water with Unagi." Added a female one.

Sokka grunted. "Show yourselves, cowards!"

Gloves hands removed the blindfolds, revealing a group of female warriors clad in green kimonos with warpaint on their faces.

"Who are you? Where are the men who ambushed us?"

"There were no men." Said the girl. "We ambushed you. Now tell us, who are you and what are you doing here?"

Sokka snorted. "Wait a second, there's no way that a bunch of girls took us down."

"Sokka!" Azula kicked him in the shin. "You're gonna get us killed."

The girl grabbed Sokka's collar. "A bunch of girls, huh? Unagi is gonna eat well tonight."

"No, don't hurt him! He didn't mean it. My brother is just an idiot sometimes." Katara hastily apologized.

One of the other warriors glared at Azula. "That one's a firebender."

"A firebender? You're a Fire Nation spy, aren't you?!"

"She's not a spy!" Katara exclaimed. "She's my sister!"

The girl scoffed. "You expect us to believe that? You don't even look alike."

"Leave them alone, it's my fault." Aang cut in. "I'm sorry we came here. I wanted to ride the elephant koi."

The old man narrowed his eyes. "That does not excuse that firebender friend of yours! Give us a good excuse not throw you to the Unagi. Kyoshi stayed out of the war so far and we intend to keep it that way!"

"Just listen, please." Azula started. "You are female warriors, you stick together through thick and thin. Sisters by choice, just like us."

The girl lowered her fan. "Who are you?"

"We are Azula, Katara and Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, and this is our friend, Aang." Azula stated.

Aang gave a sheepish smile. "I'm the Avatar."

"That's impossible!" Said the girl. "The last Avatar was an airbender who disappeared a hundred years ago."

"That's me!"

"Throw the impostor to Unagi!" Shouted the old man.

The warriors immediately retracted their metal fans from their belts and slid them open. Ready to counter any sudden attack, they surrounded the bound friends.

"Aang." Katara whispered nervously. "Do some airbending."

Aang nodded and pushed himself off the ground. He left a large dust cloud as he shot up into the air, stretched out his ropes and used one of the outstretched fans of the statue to snap them in half. Now completely free of his bonds, he landed safely in front of Avatar Kyoshi's statue.

"It's true, you are the Avatar!" Exclaimed the old man.

Aang smiled broadly. "Now, check this out!"

He pulled the marbles out of his clothes and performed his trick. The crowd went wild, one man even started foaming at the mouth before falling to the ground.

Rolling her eyes, Azula lit a fire dagger in her hand and burned through the ropes, freeing herself and her siblings. She looked over to the warrior holding a tied up Momo. "I would appreciate it if you let the Avatar's lemur go."

Nodding, the warrior untied the lemur, who chittered happily and landed on Aang's shoulder.

The next day, Katara, Sokka, Azula and Aang were seated at a long table, dozens of dishes in front them

"All right! Dessert for breakfast!" Cheered Aang.

Katara poked one of the squishy, orange puffs with a flat top in front of her. She picked it up and closely inspected it. Azula, on the other hand, didn't hesitate.

"Don't look at it Katara, eat it! This stuff is so good" She bit into a puff. "How did I ever go six years without dessert?"

Aang nodded happily, sharing Azula's enthusiasm. "These people sure know how to treat an Avatar! Katara you've got to try these!"

"Well, maybe just a bite." Katara said unsure, biting into the dessert. She looked over to her brother, who was leaning against a wall, pouting. "Hey, Sokka, what's your problem? Eat!"

"Not hungry."

Azula snorted. "But you're always hungry!"

"He's just upset because a bunch of girls kicked his butt yesterday." Katara laughed.

"They snuck up on me!"

"Right." Azula smiled coyly. "And then they kicked your butt."

"Sneak attacks don't count!" Sokka muttered, walking out of the door. "Tie me up with ropes! I'll show them a thing or two. I'm not scared of any girls. Who do they think they are anyway?"

"And that concludes my breakfast." Azula stood up. "I'll go with him and make sure that he doesn't get himself thrown to the Unagi."

She went outside and followed the distant sound of disgruntled muttering until she reached a small house, where Sokka was standing before the warriors.

"True. But don't feel bad." Sokka said, just loud enough for Azula to overhear. "After all, I'm the best warrior in my village."

"Second best." The princess corrected, stepping inside the house.

The warrior girl from before raised an eyebrow. "Who's the best then?"

"Me, of course. Over six years he hasn't once beat me in a fight."

The girl gave her an approving glance and folded her fan. "I don't believe we were properly introduced yesterday. I'm Suki."

"Azula, and I've got to give it to you, you're a bunch of amazing fighters."

"Thank you." Suki smiled. "Would you consider giving us a firebending demonstration?"

"With pleasure." She glanced over to Sokka. "Want another rematch?"

Sokka smirked. "We might have to go outside, though. Princess Blue-Flame over here might burn something."

"_Princess_?" Suki cocked her head.

"It's a long story." Azula shrugged. "I'll tell you later."

Sokka and Azula walked outside, the warriors following close behind. The princess got into a fighting stance, keeping her eyes on Sokka.

Like always, Sokka charged first, his boomerang at the ready. Azula sent streams of blue fire at him to counter his attack.

Minutes ran by as the two battled. The Kyoshi Warriors watched with wide eyes, taking in every move. Once again, Sokka ended up on his back with Azula's boot on his chest. The warriors applauded, making Azula take a proud bow.

Sokka, humiliated, demanded to fight the rest of the warriors to prove himself as a fighter. Azula laughed at him, walking off.

"Azula! Wait up!" The princess turned to see Suki jogging up to her.

"What is it?"

"It's later." Seeing Azula's blank stare, Suki continued. "You promised to tell me why Sokka called you a princess."

Azula sat on a nearby log. "You better sit down, I wasn't lying when I said it was long story."

Suki sat next to her, eyes wide and attentive. Azula took a deep breath. "The reason he called me a princess is that I _am _a princess. Princess Azula of the Fire Nation."

"How did you end up in the South Pole, then?"

"It all began six years ago, when I was eight. My mother disappeared a few months before that, and my father started showing his more cruel side. He trained me so much I could barely stand. My uncle Iroh became concerned and wrote a letter to Katara and Sokka's grandmother, Kanna. He faked my death and arranged for me to move to the Southern Water Tribe. Kanna took me in and became like a grandmother to me. Katara, Sokka and I became siblings in all but blood.

We spent so many days playing and laughing and, well, being kids. Having Fire Lord Ozai as a father kinda rid me of a childhood for the first eight years of my life. Katara taught me how to have fun again.

Then, just a few weeks back, we found Aang, but someone else found him, too. My older brother, Zuko, showed up on our shores. I fought him, and won, of course, but he took Aang anyway. We rescued him, but knowing my brother, he won't give up so easily."

The two girls sat in silence for a while, before Suki spoke up. "Thank you for telling me that. I mean, you don't even know me."

"It felt good to get all of that off my chest." Azula sighed.

"Well, I should be getting back. Sokka must have gotten beat by all my warriors by now, only fair for him to fight the leader. See you around, Azula."

Azula sighed again, getting up and heading to the beach. She arrived just in time to see Katara bending water out of Aang's lungs.

"Katara," Aang said in a weak voice. "Don't ride the Unagi. Not fun."

"What happened?" Asked Azula, kneeling beside Aang.

"He tried to ride the Unagi." Katara responded.

"You idiot!" Azula slapped his leg. "You nearly got eaten before and you go right back in? Do you _have _a death wish?"

"I'm sorry, Azula, I shouldn't have-"

"Shut it." Azula snapped.

"Hey! I'm trying to apologize here!" Aang protested.

"Yes, I know and I appreciate that. Now shut it." She pointed out to the sea. "Zuko's ship, we have to warn the villagers. Let's go."

Katara and Aang ran off to help the villagers while Azula rushed to the Kyoshi Warriors' dojo.

"Suki!"

The warriors turned to look at Azula, who forgot everything she wanted to say and broke down laughing at the sight of Sokka in the kimono and warpaint of the Kyoshi Warriors.

"Ha ha, yes, very funny. Now, what is it?" Asked Sokka, unamused.

Azula took a deep breath. "Zuko's ship. His soldiers are on the shore!"

Suki's eyes widened. "Let's go, Girls, the time has come to defend our island!"

On the deserted street, Zuko and three other soldiers on komodo rhinos stood at the base of the Kyoshi statue.

"Come out, Avatar! You can't hide forever!" He looked to his soldiers. "Find him."

At Zuko's command, the three rhinos moved into town. Suki, Azula, Sokka and the warriors perched on the roofs of the houses. Azula narrowed her eyes at Zuko. "You and the warriors handle the soldiers, Zuko is on me." Suki nodded, motioning to her warriors, who jumped down and ambushed the soldiers.

Azula hopped from roof to roof, reaching the house just above Zuko. The banished prince watched his soldiers fight, unaware of his sister watching him right until the moment she pounced, tackling him.

"Azula!" He growled.

"Back for a rematch, Zuzu?"

He pushed her off him, sending a fireball at her. She rolled out of the way and retaliated with a fire punch, jumping to her feet.

Unlike Azula, Zuko was reckless with his firebending. Orange flames engulfed surrounding trees and buildings, burning everything in their path.

"Where is the Avatar? I know you're hiding him!"

"I won't let you capture him!" Azula sent blue flames at him. "I'm on his side in the war, not yours and certainly not father's. You better stop this wild goose chase, because as long as I'm alive, Aang will be safe from the Fire Nation."

Zuko was about to retaliate when Sokka ran into him at full speed and knocked him over. "Get you stinky jerkbender hands off my sister!"

"Sokka, get out of the way!" Shouted Azula.

"No." Sokka punched his opponent. "I'll hold him off, you find Aang and Katara and get ready to get out of here."

Reluctantly, Azula did as Sokka said. She found Aang and Katara with the villagers in one of the houses. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

"But what about Zuko? I have to fight him!"

"Forget it, Aang. Sokka is taking care of Zuko, we have to go!"

"She's right, Aang. Zuko will leave if we do." Katara said before turning to Oyaji, the old man from yesterday. "Will you be alright?"

He nodded. "Go, you mustn't waste any time."

The three ran to Appa, who was eating grass by the beach. Katara loaded their luggage into the saddle while Aang used his airbending to push himself off the ground and land onto Appa's head.

"I'll go get Sokka!" Azula shouted, running off.

She found him still locked in combat with Zuko, holding his own rather well. Sending a fireball to distract the prince, she grabbed Sokka's forearm and dragged him over to the bison. "Climb on!"

Sokka obliged, climbing onto Appa, Azula following close behind. Aang looked back at them, making sure that they were safely inside the saddle. "Yip Yip!"

Zuko watched them fly off with a scowl on his face. He hopped onto his rhino, his soldiers doing the same. They boarded the ship and followed Appa, but the bison was already high in the clouds, impossible to be seen from the ground.

Sokka wiped the face paint off with his sleeve while Katara looked at a saddened Aang. "I know it's hard, but you did the right thing. Zuko would have destroyed the whole place if we had stayed. They're going to be okay, Aang."

Aang, with a determined look on his face, jumped off the bison and plunged into the water.

"What are you doing?" Katara shouted.

Azula facepalmed. "Twice! He got nearly eaten twice and it still isn't enough!"

The three siblings peered over the edge of the saddle, eyes wide. The water bubbled and Unagi shot out with Aang on top of its head, holding the whiskers. After swaying about a few times, he sturdied himself atop the creature's head and pulled its barbels. Unagi opened its mouth wide and gushed water, which rained over the town.

The village fires were put out and Zuko's crew got drenched. The Unagi launched Aang into the air, the airbender landing safely onto Appa.

"I know, I know. That was stupid and dangerous."

Azula frowned. "Yes, it was."

Aang smiled and hugged Azula and Katara. Sokka rolled his eyes at the sentimentality. "Are you three gonna hug it out every time we save a village from Prince Zuko the Jerkbender?"

The three laughed, pulling Sokka into the hug with them. Azula hit him upside the head. "Shut up and enjoy the hug, you idiot."

Aang pulled away and opened the map. Sokka peeked over his shoulder. "What crazy animal are we going to ride next?"

"None. Our next stop is the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu."


	13. Chapter 12

"The Earth Kingdom city of Omashu! I used to always come here to visit my friend Bumi." Aang said.

"Wow." Katara looked at the city with wide eyes. "We don't have buildings like this in the South Pole!"

"They have buildings here that don't melt!" Sokka added.

"I haven't seen buildings made out of stone since the Fire Nation." Azula crossed her arms. "Though I have to admit, the houses in Caldera were flashier."

Aang laughed. "Well let's go, slowpokes. The real fun's inside the city!" The airbender got ready to leap off the hill when Azula caught him by the collar.

"Not so fast, Air Boy. Can't have people recognizing you unless we want the entire Fire Nation army showing up here."

Sokka nodded. "You need a disguise."

Aang looked up in annoyance. "So what am I supposed to do? Grow a mustache?"

"That's a rather good idea, actually." Azula said, making Aang's nose scrunch up in confusion.

The princess walked up to Appa and ran her fingers through his fur, the excess fluff remaining in her hand. She turned to Aang and stuck the fur under his nose. "There you go. Now all we have to do is cover up your arrow."

Minutes later, Aang's tattoo was covered by a wig. "Ugh. This is so itchy." He looked at the bison. "How do you live in this stuff?"

"Great!" Sokka gave Aang an amused glance. "Now you look just like my grandfather."

Katara laughed. "Technically, Aang is 112 years old."

Azula raised an eyebrow. "Sokka, you don't have a grandfather."

Aang hunched his back and leaned heavily on his staff. "Now he does!" He said in an old man voice. "Now let's get to skippin', young whipper-snappers. The big city awaits!"

The city was surrounded by a wall, a stone gate at the front with a winding paths leading up to it. Aang looked back at the siblings. "You guys are going to love Omashu. The people here are the friendliest in the world."

The four stopped when they heard the harsh voice of a guard talking to a seller of cabbage.

"Rotten cabbages?! What kind of slum do you think this is?!" The guard as squashed a cabbage and knocked another two out of the merchant's hands. He proceeded to earthbend a rock under the cart, catapulting it high in the air, and sending down the chasm around the city.

"No! My cabbages!"

Aang looked at the siblings nervously. "Just keep smiling!"

While Aang walked over to the guards, Katara, Azula and Sokka gave each other an uneasy look. Katara smiled in an awkward way and chuckled uncomfortably, Sokka raised a doubtful eyebrow and Azula frowned. "This isn't gonna end well."

The guard glared at Aang. "State your business!"

The airbender poked the guard's chest. "My business is my business, young man, and none of yours! I've got half a mind to bend you over my knee and paddle your backside!"

"Settle down, old timer! Just tell me who you are."

"Name's Bonzu Pippinpaddleopsicopolis the Third." Aang smiled.

"And who are they?" The guard raised an eyebrow.

Azula used the first names that came to mind. "Mai Pippinpaddleopsicopolis. And these are my siblings, June and Lee."

"You seem like two responsible young ladies. See that your grandfather stays out of trouble. Enjoy Omashu!" The guard stepped aside and motioned at the city's entrance.

Katara smiled politely. "We will!"

Katara, Aang, Sokka and Azula started walking towards the gate. Sokka passed the guard with an uneasy look on his face, never letting the guard out of sight.

"Wait a minute!" Sokka stopped abruptly, eyes widening as the guard grasped his shoulder. The guard turned Sokka around. "You're a strong young boy! Show some respect for the elderly and carry your grandfather's bag!"

Sokka's eyes changed from fright to disbelief and annoyance while Aang removed his shoulder bag.

"Good idea!"

The airbender threw the bag at his friend. The bag bounced off the Water Tribe boy's head and dropped into his arms. Sokka shot Aang an annoyed glare. Aang shrugged it off and the group resumed their walk.

The giant earthen wall split open in the middle of an Earth Kingdom emblem. As the first wall slid open, a second and third were bent aside as well. Katara, Azula and Sokka watched in awe while Aang smiled behind them. They walked through as the walls closed right after them.

The streets were filled with people. The three siblings looked around with wide eyes, not being used to such large amounts of people. Aang pointed to the aqueduct like structures built over and beside the houses with typical green roofs. "This is the Omashu delivery system. Miles and miles of tubes and chutes. Earthbending brings the packages up, and gravity brings them down."

Sokka looked unimpressed. "Great, so they get their mail on time."

"They do get their mail on time." Aang squinted his eyes mischievously. "But my friend Bumi found a better use for these chutes."

"Oh no. I know those eyes, nothing good will come out of this!" Azula shook her head.

Later, the four were in a cart, balancing on the slope of one of the chutes. Katara looked over the edge uneasily, Sokka gripped the edge the cart and Azula had her face in her hands, periodically sighing in annoyance.

"One ride." Aang held up a finger to emphasized his words. "Then we're off to the North Pole. Airbender's honor."

Katara let out a shaky breath. "It sounded like fun at first, but now that I'm here, I'm starting to have second _th-o-o-oughts!"_

Katara screamed the last word as Aang leaned forward and sent the cart down the chute. Momo sat in Aang's wig, holding on to the hair and squinting his eyes due to the wind. Katara screamed in fear, Sokka gritted his teeth in terror and Azula scrunched her eyes tightly, horrified.

The cart made a turn. The chute they were riding pulled up next to a parallel one, where a cart with a rack of six spears was racing down. The cart of the group pulled up next to the cart with the spears. They raced past it, both tracks joining together.

The three siblings scream as the two chutes merged into one with the spear-cart behind them, but quickly gaining. Sokka heard it coming and turned around. He gasped and ducked just in time to avoid being skewered by the spears. Katara screamed when she saw the weapons so close. Aang, smiling excitedly, turned as well to see what the commotion was.

"I'm on it!"

Aang began to rock the cart, which flew out of the chute and onto a roof, where it continued its descent.

"Men, you'll be going off to combat soon. It's important that you be prepared for anything." Said a soldier as the cart came riding in between him and his soldiers. The warriors gasped in surprised as the cart ricocheted and broke through the railing closing off another chute and crossed the track, knocking over one of the supply carts and spilling a load of pumpkins all over the ground. The knocked over cart lied on the track, where another incoming cart crashed into it.

"Aang, do something! Use your airbending!" Katara screamed.

"Yeah! Good idea! That'll make us go even faster!" Aang sent a gust of air behind them. They passed by a restaurant, where a couple was eating together. They looked up in surprise at the kids flashing by while the waiter dashed over to see what was going on.

An earthbender soldier was waiting for the arrival of the next cart. As a cart of scrolls stopped in front of him, the cart with the trio flew down an incredibly steep slope. As the slope flattened out, the kids cries out in alarm as they were moments from colliding with the motionless cart in front of the bender. The earthbender on duty sent it on its way, briefly relieving the four in the speeding cart. Much to the riders' horror, another cart instantly popped up from the tube below the bender. Before it could be moved, the kids' cart crashed into it, catapulting them and their cart into the air, high above a lower level of the city.

Aang airbent the cart in front of them as they fell, making them drop back into it. The kids rode down several roofs, leaving damaged tiles in their wake. The cart flew through a window of a house, ricocheted off of the floor where a vase stood, smashing it and making the riders grunt, and flying out of the window opposite. The owner of the house peered out the ruined window as a dust cloud emerged, revealing that the cart has crashed against something else.

"Sorry!" Aang called back.

They landed on a balcony and slid through another house. Emerging on the other side, a bearded cat chased Momo around Aang's wig until the lemur pushed it off.

The cart smashed through a parapet and dropped vertically out of sight. The same cabbage merchant that had his cabbage cart thrown into the abyss earlier was now cuddling a cabbage at a replacement cart. Alerted by something coming from up above, he walked from underneath the cart's roof to check it out, and gasped in horror as the kids' cart dropped on it, smashing the replacement cart to pieces and scattering what intact cabbages are left all over. Aang, Azula, Katara, and Sokka were left in a tangled heap by the remains, while Momo elegantly floated down.

The cabbage merchant grasped his head in despair. "My cabbages! You're gonna pay for this!"

Guards walked up, surrounding the still dazed group. Aang sat up, his disguise pretty much gone, revealing his youthful face and airbending arrow. He laughed smiled sheepishly. "Two cabbages please."

The four were led to the palace of Omashu and dropped in front of the king, who was sitting on his throne, flanked by two guards.

Sokka looked very uneasy, Katara slants her eyes up in an attempt to look sympathetic and Azula was going through several escape plans in her head.

The three gazed at the king, who looked at them questioningly, arching an eyebrow and grunting in wonder. The kids were forced into their knees in front of the throne.

"Your majesty, these juveniles were arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses, and malicious destruction of cabbages."

The cabbage merchant waved his left fist in the air. "Off with their heads! One for each head of cabbage!"

"Silence! Only the king can pass down judgment. What is your judgment, sire?"

The king squinted his eyes and grunted pensively. The group, uneasily eyed each other. Sokka whimpered, Katara smiled with her hands folded in front of her and her eyes twinkling hopefully while Aang stared at the side, one eyebrow arched and pouting.

"Throw them…" Azula muttered prayers to Agni asunder her breath. "A feast!"

The princess' eyes flew open, looking at the king in surprise. Sokka smiled in relief, while Katara darted a questioning look toward Aang, who arched his eyebrows in wonder.

The four were seated at a richly-filled dining table. Momo stuffed his face with food, chittering contently. The king stood behind the kids' chairs.

"The people in my city have gotten fat from too many feasts, so I hope you like your chicken with no skin."

"Thanks." Aang nodded politely. "But I don't eat meat."

"How about you?" The king turned to Sokka. "I bet you like meat."

He stuffed the chicken into Sokka's mouth, who ate it appreciatively, and walked over to his own seat.

Katara leaned over to Azula. "Is it just me, or is this guy's crown a little crooked?"

Azula chuckled. "You said it."

"So tell me, young bald one, where are you from?" Asked the king, sitting down.

"I'm from…" Aang hesitated. "Kangaroo Island!"

The king nodded. "Oh, Kangaroo Island, eh? I hear that place is really hopping!"

The room fell silent, everyone stared at the king with blank faces before Sokka burst out laughing. Aang and the girls gave him a blank look.

"What? It was pretty funny."

The king stretched. "Well, all these good jokes are making me tired. Guess it's time to hit the hay."

Bumi eyed the children with a weird expression. Suddenly, he hurled a chicken leg at them. The meat flew through the air as Aang nearly tumbled off his chair in reflex and caught the chicken leg in a small airball. The guards gasped in surprise.

Azula pinched the bridge of her nose. "I _knew _this wasn't gonna end well."

"There's an airbender in our presence, and not just any airbender." The king stood up. "The Avatar!"

Aang, stopped his bending and put his hands behind his back. The chicken leg fell on his plate. The king gave them a sly smile.

"Now, what do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Pippinpaddleopsicopolis?"

Aang stood up and threw his hands up in the air. "Okay, you caught me. I'm the Avatar. Doing my Avatar thing, keeping the world safe. Everything checks out. No firebenders here. So, good work, everybody!" He pulled Katara and Azula into a side hug. "Love each other, respect all life, and don't run with your spears. We'll see you next time!"

As they neared the guard at the exit door, the two men crossed their spears, effectively blocking their path.

"You can't keep us here! Let us leave!" Katara demanded.

The king picked up a leaf from his plate and waved it in the air. "Lettuce leaf?" He took a bite out of the leaf and chewed it slowly.

"We're in serious trouble. This guy is nuts." Sokka whispered.

"Tomorrow, the Avatar will face three deadly challenges. But for now, the guards will show you to your chamber."

The chamberlain leaned in towards the king. "My liege, do you mean the good chamber or the bad chamber?"

"The newly refurbished chamber." The king responded.

"Wait, which one are we talking about?"

The king sighed. "The one that used to be the bad chamber, until the recent refurbishing, that is. Of course, we've been calling it the new chamber, but we really should number them. Uh, take them to the refurbished chamber that was once bad!"

The group were led to a room. The wall cracked open and the four were roughly pushed inside, and the wall was immediately bent up again after them. The room had four green beds in the center with green drapes hanging from the ceiling above them.

"This is a prison cell?" Katara looked around. "But it's so nice."

Aang sat on one of the beds. "He did say it was newly refurbished."

"Nice or not, it's still our prison." Sokka crossed his arms.

Azula rolled her eyes. "You know what? I vote we never make a stop anywhere again. It seems like whenever Aang decides to have fun, we get captured."

Aang looked away with a sad look on her face. Katara glared at her sister. "Azula! Leave him alone, it's not his fault."

"I wonder what these challenges are gonna to be." Aang thought out loud.

"We're not sticking around to find out." Katara answered. "There's got to be some way out of here."

"The air vents!" The airbender exclaimed.

The siblings looked at each other. Sokka raised a questioning eyebrow. "If you think we're going to fit through there, you're crazier than that king."

"We can't." Aang looked at Sokka. "But Momo can!"

Momo lazily rested on the bed, licking a half-eaten apple. His belly protruded from eating so much.

"Momo, I need you to find Appa and bust us outta here!" Aang said.

Momo looked up surprised, blinking and chittering softly. Aang picked up the lemur and stuffed him inside the vent.

"Go on, boy, get Appa!"

Momo's protruding belly stopped him from going through the vent. Aang quit trying and looked down discouraged, leaving Momo stuck in the vent.

Sokka lied down on one of the beds. "Eh, how was Appa supposed to save us anyway?"

"Appa's a ten-ton flying bison; I think he could figure something out." Aang shrugged.

Azula walked up to one of the walls and pressed her palm against the stones. Sokka raised an eyebrow at her. "Did the king infect you with his madness?"

"I've spent enough time around palace guards to know that some cells have secret passageways. You guys go to bed and I'll try to find one."

Katara climbed under the covers of her bed. "If anyone can get us out of this prison, it's Azula. Goodnight!"

Aang sighed sadly and dropped onto his bed, falling asleep in minutes. Azula bit the inside of her cheek and looked around the walls, trying to find anything that looks out of place. After a while, she resorted to probing every inch of the walls.

Hours later, when Azula was ready to give up and go to bed, she finally found what she was looking for. Behind one of the green drapes in the wall was a brick that definitely didn't belong there. With a determined look on her face, the princess pressed it, making part of the wall slide open and reveal a secret passageway.

She entered it, the entrance sliding closed behind her. She lit a blue flame in her palm and looked around. The amount of dust on the rocks showed that no one has been in the passageway since the mad king was a boy.

She continued down the tunnel, the only source of light coming from her fire. After a while, she reached the end, where a trap door led to just outside the palace.

Azula smirked and rushed back to the entrance and pressed the brick. The second the door slid open, the princess was engulfed in a hug by Aang.

"Azula! Thank goodness you're here!"

Azula awkwardly hugged him back. "Aang, what's going on? And where are Katara and Sokka?"

"I don't know!" Aang responded frantically. "I woke up and you three were gone!"

The earth wall slid open and two guards entered the room. Azula growled and pounced on one of the guards, pinning him against the wall.

"_Where is my sister?_"

The other guard stepped in. "The king will free her and your brother if the Avatar completes all three challenges."

Azula glared, but let the guard go. He looked at her in fear, almost making the princess smirk.

"And if I fail?" Aang asked, unsure.

"He didn't say. Your staff, please?"

Aang lifted his staff with his foot, spun it around, and placed it upright next to him before tossing it to the guard. The airbender was escorted to the throne room, the two guards flanking him with Azula following close behind, keeping a watchful eye.

The king looked at Azula and turned to the two guards, a questioning expression on his face. "I thought told you to bring me all of the Avatar's friends."

One of the guards looked at him nervously. "She wasn't there when we came."

"Wasn't there?" The king raised an eyebrow. "Pray tell, young lady, where did you disappear to?"

The princess smirked. "You should really hide the secret passageways better, your majesty. It only took me a few hours to find it."

"A smart one, eh?" The king looked impressed. "Anyway, Avatar, first of all, what do you think of my new outfit? I want your honest opinion."

Aang scratched his head. "I...guess it's fine."

"Excellent! You passed the first test."

"Really?" Aang asked, surprised.

The king chuckled. "Well, not one of the deadly tests. The real challenges are much more, uh, challenging."

Aang rushed forward to the surprise of the guards, using his airbending to enhance his speed, and came to a stop in front of the king.

"I don't have time for your crazy games! Give me my friends back! We're leaving!"

"Oh, I thought you might refuse." A wall opened, revealing Katara and Sokka struggling in the grasp of a guard.

"_Let them go_!" Azula shouted, dashing towards the throne. The two guards grabbed her, stopping her from reaching the mad king. The fire princess thrashed around in their arms. "_No one, I repeat, no one, touches my siblings and gets away with it_!"

"Don't worry your sweet little head, no harm will come to your siblings. I just will give them some special souvenirs."

The guards slipped a green ring onto Katara's finger and a blue one on Sokka's. The rings glowed and shrunk on their fingers. The two siblings desperately tried to pull them off, but didn't succeed.

"Those delightful rings are made of pure jennamite, also known as creeping crystal. It's a crystal that grows remarkably fast. By nightfall your friends will be completely covered in it." The king shrugged. "Terrible thing, really. I can stop it, but only if you cooperate."

The king glanced towards the siblings. Sokka looked down at his finger where the blue jennamite ring glowed and expanded toward his hand. "It's already creeping!"

Aang sighed in defeat. "I'll do what you want."

The king gave a sinister smile. "Splendid!" He turned toward the two guards restraining Azula. "You two better keep an eye on her. She's a feisty one."

The four were led to a cave filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Aang stood on a flat rock with a waterfall in front of him. In the waterfall, there was a ladder, and above the ladder hung a rope. Sokka, Katara, Azula and the king were on a balcony cut into the wall to the left of the waterfall.

The jennamite rings on Katara and Sokka's fingers already expanded to engulf part of their right forearms. The two guards put rock handcuffs on Azula's hands and continued to grasp her upper arms tightly. The king glanced back at the three siblings with a grin on his face before looking back at Aang.

"It seems I've lost my lunch box key and I'm hungry." The king pointed out to the waterfall. "Ooh, there it is! Would you mind fetching it for me?"

The key hanging from a chain and a vertical iron ladder were dimly visible behind the waterfall. Aang airbent to the base of the fall and plunged into the waterfall. He managed to climb up the rock face to the base of the ladder and grasp it with one hand. Before he could get any further, the torrent of water pushed him away and out.

"Ooh, climbing the ladder. No one's done that before." The king said sarcastically.

Panting, Aang leaped up to the stalactites above and closer to the waterfall. He dove into the fall above the key and tried to grab it as he fell with the water; the rush of the water carried him past and in a moment he shot out again, keyless.

"That's right. Keep diving head in. I'm sure it'll work eventually."

Aang cut a stalagmite with airbending and threw it like a spear at the key, accelerating it with another air blast. The stone spear snagged the chain suspending the key, and carried it out of the waterfall. The spear pierced the stone wall above the King's balcony, the key now dangling right in front of Bumi.

"There! Enjoy your lunch! I want my friends back now!"

"Ah, not yet." The king smiled. "I need help with another matter. It seems I've lost my pet, Flopsie."

The guards led Aang to a sunken enclosure in a new room, with the king and the Water Tribe up above on the balcony. Aang looked around before approaching a lop-eared bunny.

"Okay! Found him!"

"Bring him to me!" The king called. "Daddy wants a kiss from Flopsie!"

"Come here, Flopsie!" A giant creature jumped down behind Aang, startling both him and the bunny. Squealing with terror, the bunny bolted across the arena with Aang in pursuit until it went into a hole. Aang put his arm in the hole up to the shoulder trying to grab hold of the frightened rabbit. "Flopsie, wait! Flopsie!"

The giant creature approached him, snarling. Aang had a dawning look of realization on his face. "Wait a minute. Flopsie?"

The goat gorilla bounded towards Aang but instead of attacking, picked him up and licked him.

"Flopsie!"

Flopsie put Aang down and, obeying a whistle from the king, climbed up from the arena to him and rolled onto his back, offering his belly.

The king rubbed it affectionately. "Oh, that's a good boy. Yes, who has a soft belly?"

Aang jumped up to where Katara, Sokka and Azula stood. The former two were encased in crystal to their shoulders. "Guys, are you okay?"

"Other than the crystals encasing my entire body, doing great!" Katara smiled sarcastically.

At that moment, a crystal grew on one side of Sokka's body, making fall. Aang walked over to the mad king. "Come on! I'm ready for the next challenge."

Aang was brought to an earthbending arena. The airbender and the king stood on a balcony overlooking the arena. The Water Tribe siblings were on an adjacent balcony. The crystals went past the heads of Katara and Sokka, while Azula long since stopped trying to fight the two guard.

"Your final test is a duel. And as a special treat, you may choose your opponent."

Two tough-looking men came out, standing next to the king. Aang looked at them uncertainly.

"Point and choose." The king smiled.

"So...you're saying whoever I point to, that's the person I get to fight?" Aang asked.

The king nodded. "Choose wisely!"

Aang pointed to the king. "I choose you!"

"Wrong choice!"

The king straightened up and removed his outer robe, proving himself to be a

powerfully built old man. He earthbent Aang off of the balcony, making him fly into the arena. The king jumped down right in front of Aang.

"You thought I was a frail old man, but I'm the most powerful earthbender you'll ever see!"

Aang smiled sheepishly. "Can I fight the guy with the axe instead?"

"There are no take-backsies in my kingdom." The king motioned to one of the guards to give Aang his staff. "You might need this."

The king bent several rocks at Aang who just dodged the attacks. "Typical airbender tactic: avoid and evade." The king frowned. "I hoped the Avatar would be less predictable."

The king attacked Aang some more. The airbender just kept sticking to his previous tactic; dodging every attack.

"Don't you have any surprises for me? Sooner or later you'll have to strike back!"

Aang used his staff to helicopter into the air. The king bent a large boulder into the ceiling, raining rocks onto Aang and knocking him from the air. He charged at the king on foot, but a series of bending attacks left him flat atop a large rock pile.

"You'll have to be a little more creative than that!"

Aang bent an air scooter and charged forward on it, throwing a huge air blast at the king. The earthbender threw up a stone barrier and the blast deflected to both sides of it.

"Did someone leave the windows open? It feels a little drafty in here. Are you hoping I'll catch a cold?"

The king bent more attacks at Aang, leading him across half of the arena. "How are you going to get me from way over there?"

Aang charged forward on foot again, using airbending to accelerate but the king softened the arena floor, leaving him sunk to the waist. The king bent two stones to collide on the spot but Aang popped out just in time. Visibly angry now, he bent the slab the king is standing on all the way to the back of the arena. The king bent the largest boulder yet to come at Aang from behind but the airbender did an air-assisted backflip over it.

The king made more bending moves, cracking the floors and walls of the arena, tearing out a huge chunk of the wall and balcony they had been standing on. Seeing what was coming, Aang gasped and ran in tight circles, conjuring a tornado. When the king flinged the huge piece at Aang, it got caught in the tornado and instantly whipped around right back at the king. The earthbender turned it to sand before it could smash him, but before he could recover, Aang attacked from the top of the tornado, landing at the king's feet with his staff poised to strike. The king's arms were raised as if surrendering but a small pebble striked Aang's head, drawing his attention to the large boulder suspended over the both of them.

"Well done, Avatar. You fight with much fire in your heart." He tossed the boulder aside and bent himself up to the balcony where the the three siblings waited, Aang joining him.

"You've passed all my tests. Now, you must answer one question."

"No way!" Azula cut in. "He beat your challenges, now stop the jennamite from encasing my siblings and uncuff me this instant!"

"One question, and then I'll let them go. I promise."

Azula relented, nodding. The king continued. "Young Avatar, you must answer this question. What is my name? From the looks of your friends I'd say you only have a few minutes."

The guards let Azula go, but kept the handcuffs on. Aang turned to the siblings. "How am I supposed to know his name?"

"Think about the challenges." Katara suggested. "Maybe it's some kind of riddle."

"I got it!" Sokka cut in.

"I doubt it." Azula muttered.

"Hey!" Sokka glared. "Anyway, he's an earthbender, right? Rocky. You know, because of all the rocks."

Katara cringed. "We're going to keep trying, but that is a good back-up."

"Could you guys hurry up?" Azula complained. "My hands are sore."

Aang ignored her. "Okay. So back to the challenges. I got a key from the waterfall, I saved his pet, and I had a duel."

"And what did you learn?" Katara prompted.

"Well," Aang started, "Everything was different than I expected."

The jennamite grew an extra inch as Katara continued nervously. "And?"

"Well, they weren't straight forward. To solve each test, I had to think differently than I usually would." His eyes widened. "I know his name."

Azula clenched her teeth. "Great! Now go and tell it to that mad king until my wrists fall off!"

Aang walked up to the mad king with a determined look on his face. "I solved the question the same way I solved the challenges. As you said a long time ago, I had to open my brain to the possibilities." The king laughed with an odd snort. "Bumi, you're a mad genius!"

"_All this time_ the guy who held us hostage was your childhood buddy?!" Azula exclaimed, a look of outrage on her face,

"Oh yeah, Bumi, can you free my friends now?" Aang smiled.

"Of course." Bumi broke the rocks using earthbending, making the pieces fly everywhere, he caught one of them. Katara and Sokka stretched their muscles and Azula massaged her wrists.

"Jennamite is made of rock candy." He took a bite of the crystal. "Delicious!"

"So this crazy king is your old friend Bumi?" Katara asked.

"Who are you calling old?" At the group's blank stares, Bumi sighed. "Okay, I'm old."

Sokka looked at him. "Why did you do all of this instead of just telling Aang who you were?"

"First of all, it's pretty fun messing with people. But I do have a reason. Aang, you have a difficult task ahead. The world has changed in the hundred years that you've been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai. You have much to learn. You must master the four elements and confront the Fire Lord. And when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius. Iit looks like you're in good hands, you'll need your friends to help defeat the Fire Nation. And you'll need Momo, too."

"So, can we go now? I think I've had enough of Omashu for a lifetime." Azula laughed nervously.

"Yes, you can go." Bumi nodded. "Oh, and one more thing, you really should get a handle on that temper of yours, Princess Azula, you're rather similar to your father when you're angry."

The group's jaws dropped. Katara was the first to recover. "How did you know?"

"I'm one hundred and twelve years old, you think that I won't recognize a product of Sozin's, Azulon's and Ozai's bloodline?" Bumi laughed.

"Hey, Bumi, I have a challenge for you!" Aang cut in. He and Bumi went outside to ride the cart down the chutes, leaving Sokka, Azula and Katara in the throne room.

"Isn't it crazy? Aang met his childhood friend!" Katara smiled. "Azula, imagine if you found Mai and Ty Lee."

Azula snorted. "Yeah, like we'll ever run into Mai and Ty Lee."

"You never know." Sokka shrugged. "You never know."


	14. Chapter 13

Katara, Azula and Aang sat on a raised, grassy plateau, a gentle stream running beneath it. Katara folded the blankets while Aang rested on a tree root and Azula made a small flame dance around the dirt, Momo chasing it. Suddenly, the lemur screeched and jumped into the air as Sokka approached.

"Great, you're back!" Aang said, leaping off the root and landing beside the siblings as Sokka dug through his bag. "What's for dinner?"

"We've got a few options. First; round nuts. And some kind of oval shaped nuts? And some rock-shaped nuts, that might just be rocks. Dig in!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Look, Sokka, I appreciate the effort, but we've been eating nuts ever since King Bumi's supplies ran out. Next time, the two of us have to go hunting. We might have an actual meal." Azula said, tossing a few nuts to Momo.

Sokka scoffed. "We can't go hunting because Mr Avatar over there doesn't eat meat."

"Ugh." Azula groaned. "If there's one thing I miss about the Fire Nation, it's the meat."

"Seriously, what else you got?" Katara asked, annoyed.

Momo chittered and sniffed the rock-shaped nut Azula threw him, before picking it up and slapping it against a rock. Attempting to break it, he took it with both paws and slammed it down again. The moment he did, however, the earth quaked. Momo shrieked as his fur stood up on end.

Sokka looked around wildly. "What was that?"

Momo, believing it was him who caused the quake, cautiously dropped the rock to the ground. The quake returned, causing Momo to leap onto Azula's shoulder. The princess stroked the lemur's head and scratched behind his ears in an attempt to calm him down.

"It's coming from over there!" Aang shouted, running towards the sound, Katara following him.

Sokka turned towards Azula. "Shouldn't we run away from huge booms and not toward them?"

"I stopped questioning those two long ago." Azula shrugged.

The four, joined by Momo, hid behind a fallen tree and spied on a young boy bending boulders into the air and punching them into the side of the ravine.

"An earthbender!" Katara's eyes widened. "Let's go meet him!".

Sokka's eyes narrowed. "He looks dangerous, so we better approach cautiously."

"Hello there! I'm Katara! What's your name?"

The young boy gasped in surprise, dropping the boulder he was bending to the ground. He fled quickly, bringing down an avalanche of boulders with his bending to block his exit.

"Nice to meet you!" Aang shouted after him.

"I just wanted to say hi." Katara frowned.

"Look Katara, he's got to be running somewhere, and if it means so much to you, we can follow him." Azula relented. "If there's a village, there has to be a market."

"Which means no nuts for dinner! Azula, you're the best!" Katara pulled her sister into a hug.

"Hey! I worked hard to get those nuts!" Sokka tried to protest, but Aang and Katara already ran off after the boy.

Azula picked Momo from her shoulder and held him at arm's length. "Do you have any idea what's going on with Katara?" Momo cocked his head and chittered questioningly. "Yeah, me neither."

The four made it to a village. The siblings strolled through the streets while Aang spoke with a shopkeeper under a terrace.

"Great hat! I'll trade you some nuts for it."

Azula looked around the village and noticed the boy from before walking up to a shop. She elbowed Katara and pointed in his direction.

Katara turned to look at her. "Are we following him?"

"Of course we're following him! How's that even a question?"

The sisters opened the door and entered the shop, startling the earthbending boy.

"Hey. You're that kid. Why did you run away before?"

The boy looked at Katara in surprise. "Uh, you must have me confused with some other kid."

Aang and Sokka entered the shop, the former joining the conversation. "No, she doesn't. We saw you earthbending."

The boy and his mother gasped in horror and slammed the door and windows shut.

"They saw you doing what?!" The boy's mother asked, looking angry.

"They're crazy, Mom! I mean, look at how they're dressed."

Aang gazed to his hat, shifting it about in confusion, Katara awkwardly grasped at her dress, looking with astonishment at herself, Sokka quirked an eyebrow and smoothed out his sleeve while Azula scoffed and crossed her arms.

"I know I don't look good in blue but you don't have to point it out."

The boy gave an apologetic smile. "I think you look...fine."

Azula raised an eyebrow in question. "Was that a compliment or-"

The boy's mother interrupted her. "You know how dangerous that is! You know what would happen if they caught you earthbending!"

The six were startled by a heavy knock on the door. "Open up!"

Sokka peered through the blinds. "Fire Nation! Act natural!"

The boy's mother opened the door, allowing the Fire Nation tax collector to walk inside. He stared awkwardly at the five children in front of him. The boy grasped his chin and stared toward Katara, cross-eyed. Sokka eyeballed an apple while Katara hunched forward with wide eyes, her mouth stuffed with berries. Azula sat cross legged on the counter, an empty bowl in her hands and Momo in her lap. Aang had his hand atop a barrel, beaming an immense toothy smile. His pose was short-lived as the barrel's lid spun, dunking Aang's hand into the barrel of water and causing him to fall down.

"What do you want? I've already paid you this week!" Demanded the woman.

"The tax just doubled. And we wouldn't want an accident now would we?" The tax collector created a ball of fire between his hands, making everyone slightly back away. "Fire is sometimes so hard to control."

The woman and the tax collector approached the store's counter. "Young lady, could you pass me the metal chest, please?" The woman told Azula, who reached over the counter where she was sitting and pulled out the chest.

The woman opened it and passed a meager handful of Earth Kingdom coins to the tax collector. The boy leaned against the counter, staring with contempt toward the Fire Nation man.

"Do they do that often?" Azula whispered, leaning towards the boy.

"Double the tax?" The boy sighed heavily. "Nearly every week."

"You can keep the copper ones." The tax collector dropped the coins to the floor and exited the store.

"Nice guy." Sokka shook his head. "How long has the Fire Nation been here?"

The woman frowned. "Five years. Fire Lord Ozai uses our town's coal mines to fuel his ships."

"They're thugs. They steal from us. And everyone here's too much of a coward to do anything about it." The boy added.

"Quiet, Haru! Don't talk like that."

"But, Haru's an earthbender? He can help!" Katara exclaimed.

"Earthbending is forbidden. It's caused nothing but misery for this village!" Haru's mother cast him a meaningful glance. "He must never use his abilities."

"How can you say that? Katara asked with a sorrowful look. "Haru has a gift! Asking him not to earthbend is like asking me not to waterbend, or asking Azula not to- actually, never mind. It's a part of who we are."

Haru's mother shook her head. "You don't understand."

"I understand that Haru can help you fight back. What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?"

"They could take Haru away!" The woman snapped. "Like they took his father."

Azula slammed the bowl in her hands onto the counter, huffing angrily "I'm going for a walk." And with that, she walked out, slamming the door behind her.

The princess wandered outside the village, walking through the thick green foliage of the woods. She found a rock on the edge of a small hill overlooking the mines, and sat down on it, in deep thought.

Momo landed on her shoulder, chittering softly as though understanding her bad mood. With a sigh, she picked him off her shoulder and placed him in her lap.

"Uncle Iroh may have gotten me away from my father, but he still manages to have an impact on my life. On everyone's life." She scratched the lemur's belly absentmindedly. "His army took away Haru's father and Agni knows how many other earthbenders."

Tears started pooling in Azula's eyes. "My father is the worst man that ever walked this earth! How could I ever think that he loved me?" Azula's eyes widened in sudden realization. "And if I hadn't grown up in the South Pole, I would have ended up just like him. A heartless monster."

The princess was full on sobbing at that point, Momo pressed close to her chest. She didn't react when she was encircled by familiar arms. Katara hugged her tightly, rubbing soothing circles into her back and whispering calming words.

After a while, Azula took a deep breath and pulled away. She gave her sister an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Katara."

"It's what sisters do."

"Um, I'm not interrupting, am I?"

The two girls turned to see Haru standing a few feet behind them. Katara smiled and patted the spot next to her, which the boy gratefully took.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier." Katara looked at him. "I didn't know about your father."

Haru shook his head, "That's okay. It's funny, the way you were talking back in the store? It reminded me of him."

"Thanks." Katara responded, flattered.

"She tends to have that effect on people." Azula looked out onto the sunset. "Always inspiring everyone. She's been that way since we were little."

Haru nodded. "My father was very courageous. When the Fire Nation invaded, he and the other earthbenders were outnumbered ten to one. But they fought back anyway."

"He sounds like a great man." Katara said.

The earthbender frowned. "After the attack, they rounded up my father and every other earthbender, and took them away. We haven't seen them since."

"So that's why you hide your earthbending." Katara realized.

"Yeah. Problem is…" Haru earthbent two rocks in a circle above his hand. "The only way I can feel close to my father now is when I practice my bending. He taught me everything I know."

Azula chuckled sadly. "You two are lucky. You both had amazing fathers to grow up with, and all I had was a total monster."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Haru furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait, I thought the two of you were sisters?"

"Sisters by choice." Katara smiled at the princess. "Azula moved to my village to escape her father when we were eight. My Gran Gran took her in and, well, we've been sisters ever since."

Momo jumped from Azula lap onto Katara's head, hanging upside down in front of her face. The trio laughed at the lemur antics, said lemur taking notice of Katara's necklace and swiping his paws at the pendant.

"That's a beautiful necklace." Haru said.

"Thank you." Katara gave Momo back to Azula and set her fingertips onto the pendant. "It belonged to my mother. I lost her in a Fire Nation raid a few months before I met Azula. This necklace is all I have left of her."

Haru nodded in understanding. "It's not enough, is it?"

"No."

"I'm going to head back." Azula stood up. "Today was exhausting."

Katara nodded. "We'll stay here for a while."

Azula headed back down the path until she reached the barn. Sokka and Aang were busy setting up hay beds inside. Momo flew in first, landing on Aang's head.

"Hey, buddy!" The airbender greeted cheerfully. "Oh, Azula, you're back!"

"Where's Katara?" Sokka asked suspiciously.

"Out having an emotional talk with Haru." Azula climbed onto a hay bed. "She'll be back by nightfall."

Sure enough, Katara showed up around twenty minutes later, covered in dust. At her friends' questioning faces, she explained. "Haru saved a man from a collapsed mine with his earthbending."

"You must have really inspired him!" Aang said with admiring eyes.

"I guess so." Katara nodded.

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Everyone should get some sleep, we're leaving at dawn."

"Dawn?!" Katara groaned. "Can't we sleep in for once?"

"I've been waking up at dawn since I was four. Stop complaining." Azula scoffed.

"Exactly! This village is crawling with Fire Nation troops. If they discover you're here, Aang, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast. Goodnight." Sokka turned over in his bed.

Katara smirked wryly. "I'd rather eat fireballs than nuts."

"Goodnight!"

Katara, Azula and Aang shared a few playful chuckles with each other before Azula blew out the lamplight to get some rest.

"They took him! They took Haru away!"

Azula jerked awake at her sister's voice. Katara stood at the entrance to the barn, a frantic look on her face. Aang and Sokka stared at her in surprise.

Aang was the first to snap out of it. "What?"

"The old man turned him in to the Fire Nation and it's all my fault! I was the one to talk him into earthbending!"

Sokka put a supporting hand in her shoulder. "Slow down, Katara. When did this happen?"

Tears pooled in Katara's eyes. "Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight."

"Then it's too late to track him, he's long gone." Sokka shook his head.

Azula stood up. "The Fire Nation tends to place the bending prisoners away from their element. Earthbenders would be on a rig in the middle of the sea. My father made me memorize the positions of these prisons when I was younger. There's one a few miles away from here. If we hurry, we can catch up."

"It's too dangerous to go on Appa. They'd shoot us down." Sokka reasoned.

Katara turned defiantly to the door. "We don't need Appa. The Fire Nation is going to take me right to Haru.

Aang scrunched his nose in confusion "And...why would they do that?"

"Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending."

Aang, Azula and Sokka shared a horrified look behind the waterbender's back.

Minutes later, Sokka, Katara and Azula were working together to push a boulder overtop an air vent on a rocky road.

"I thought you were crazy at first, but this might just work." Sokka grunted. "There are ventilation shafts throughout these mines. All Aang has to do is send an air current from that vent to this one right here. The boulder levitates and ta-da! Fake earthbending."

Katara propped a hand on her hip. "Aang? Did you get all that?"

Aang bent small puffs of air at a butterfly. "Sure, sure. I got it."

Azula growled and stomped over to Aang. "Listen here, airhead! My sister is putting herself in grave danger to save Haru and you're acting like you don't care! I've never met a more childish person in my life!"

"Yeah, yeah. Just relax. You're taking all the fun out of this." Aang said dismissively.

Sokka looked at him, aggravated. "By this, do you mean intentionally being captured by a group of ruthless firebenders?"

"Exactly!" Aang laughed. "That's fun stuff!"

The group saw a group of Fire Nation soldiers approaching. Sokka turned towards his sisters. "Here they come! Get in your places!"

Azula crouched behind the boulder next to Aang, who stopped playing with the butterfly. Momo tried catching it as it flew away. As the group of spear-wielding guards approached, Katara and Sokka made a show of walking into one another.

"Get out of my way, pipsqueak!"

"How dare you call me pipsqueak, you giant-eared cretin!"

"What did you call me?"

"A giant-eared cretin! Look at those things! Do herds of animals use them for shade?"

"You better back off!"

"I will not back off! I bet elephants get together and laugh at how large your ears are!"

"That's it! You're going down!"

"I'll show you who's boss! Earthbending style!"

Katara dramatically leaped over the boulder, her fist stretched out. The boulder didn't move, which made the girl clear her throat and glare in Aang's direction.

"I said, earthbending style!"

Azula nudged Aang, making him gasp and realize his mistake. The young airbender ceased playing with the butterfly and blasted a strong jet of air into the ventilation duct, sending the boulder levitating into the air. This revealed Momo behind the boulder, who had his arms raised.

One of the guards pointed at Momo. "That lemur! He's earthbending!"

"No, you idiot, it's the girl!" Sokka shouted.

"Oh." The guard blushed in shame. "Of course."

The guards escorted Katara away, leaving Aang, Sokka, Azula and Momo to watch as she glanced back.

Sokka unhappily tugged at his ears, testing their size. "Momo, _you _have big ears!"

The lemur folded his ears back, hunched down, and cooed in protest. Azula picked him up and pat his head affectionately.

The trio made their way back to the shop that belonged to Haru's mother. She looked at them with sad eyes. "Where's the other girl?"

"Katara turned herself in to the Fire Nation to save Haru." Azula explained, sighing.

The woman's eyes widened. "She did what? I mean, I truly appreciate it, but she shouldn't have put herself in so much danger to save my son."

"My sister always was a selfless person." Sokka sat down next to a wall. "She would never turn her back on anyone. She's gonna get herself killed."

Haru's mother nodded solemnly. "Here, have some lunch."

Hours later, when Sokka and Aang were asleep in the barn, Azula stood outside, watching the moon make its way across the sky. Once it reached its peak, she made her way over to the boys and roughly shook them awake. "It's midnight!"

Aang rubbed his eyes. "Okay, okay, I'm up."

The trio climbed onto Appa and flew over the ocean. Soon enough, they reached the prison rig. Aang crept inside the living quarters and brought Katara over to the bison.

"Your twelve hours are up; where's Haru?" Sokka hurriedly whispered. We've gotta get outta here!"

Katara looked away. "I can't."

Azula frowned. "We don't have much time. There are guards everywhere. Get on!"

"Katara, what's wrong?" Aang asked.

"I'm not leaving. I'm not giving up on these people."

"What do you mean you're not leaving?" Sokka's eye twitched.

Katara looked at her siblings in desperation. "We can't abandon these people! There has to be a way to help them."

Aang had a thoughtful look on his face. "Maybe she's right. What do you say, guys?"

Sokka and Azula gave Aang and Katara an incredulous look. "You're both crazy!" The two spoke in unison.

Sokka ducked as a search light narrowly missed him. "Last chance, Katara! We need to leave, now!"

"No!"

Azula shook her head. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

"Come on, we better hide." Sokka said, keeping a watchful eyes in the search light.

Katara, Azula and Sokka ran inside while Aang leaned over to Appa. "Go hide."

The group his behind a stack of wooden crates, Momo on Azula's shoulder. The four huddled together on the metal ground in the darkness.

"We don't have much time. What are we gonna do?" Sokka asked.

"I wish I knew how to make a hurricane!" Sokka, Azula and Katara provided Aang with three severely un-entertained facial expressions. Aang smiled sheepishly and continued to explain. "The warden would run away and we'd steal his keys!"

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't he just take his keys with him?"

"I'm just tossing ideas around." Aang shrugged.

Katara sighed. "I tried talking the earthbenders into fighting back but, it didn't work! If there was just a way to help them help themselves."

Azula bit the inside of her cheek. "They'd need Earth for that. Or rocks. Something that they can bend."

"But this entire place is made of metal!" Katara said, laying a hand on the deck to prove her point.

"No, it's not." Aang pointed to the smokestacks. "Look at the smoke! I bet they're burning coal. In other words, earth."

Morning arrived, the sky turning a pleasant yellowish color. Sokka, Katara and Azula sat by one of the air ducts. Sokka peered down into it, Katara kneeled beside it with her hands on the rim while Azula kept watch.

"It's almost dawn. We're running out of time! You sure this is gonna work?"

Sokka nodded. "It should. These vents reminded me of our little trick back at the village. We're gonna do the same thing, but on a much bigger scale. There's a huge deposit of coal at the base of the silo. And the whole system is ventilated. Aang closed off all the vents except one. When he does his airbending the coal only has one place to go, right back here."

"Guys." Azula spoke up. "We have trouble."

"There's the intruders!" Shouted a guard.

The three siblings were suddenly surrounded by a number of spear-wielding Fire Nation guards. The prisoners had gathered a safe distance away from this spectacle, observing what is happening.

"Don't firebend until I tell you too." Sokka whispered to Azula before raising his voice to address the guards. "Stay back! I'm warning you!" He pulled out his boomerang, turning back-to-back with his sisters.

One of the prisoners stepped forward. "Katara, stop! You can't win this fight!"

"Listen to him well, child." The warden said. You three are one mistake away from dying where you stand."

A sudden rush of air filled their ears as the rig shook. The ventilation shaft burst off its hinges as an immense blast of coal soared into the air, crashing down into a gathered pile. Everyone present was silent, staring in stark surprise at this turn of events.

Lastly, Aang leaped out from the barren ventilation shaft, landing atop the coal pile and coughing, covered in soot and dirt. Momo followed him, landing on Azula shoulder as Katara ran up to the coal, turning to face the earthbenders.

"Here's your chance, earthbenders! Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!"

Haru bolted ahead without hesitation, prepared to bend the coal as a weapon. The man, presumably his father, threw his hand up, bracing his son's chest to halt his advance.

The warden burst out into highly amused laughter. "Foolish girl. You thought a few inspirational words and some coal would change these people? Look at these blank, hopeless faces. Their spirits were broken a long time ago. Oh, but you still believe in them. How sweet. They're a waste of your energy little girl. You failed."

The warden finished his speech by turning to take his leave. As he does so, a single piece of coal sailed through the air and pelted the back of his head. Outraged, the warden spun back to see who dared to attack him. Haru stood defiantly, levitating three pieces of coal above his hand. The warden sends a blast of fire toward Haru, but the fire is blocked, as Haru's father raised a wall of coal in his defense.

The guards lined up and prepared for battle. "Show no mercy!" The guards sent a blast of fire towards the rebelling prisoners.

The earthbenders worked together to haul a mass of coal to block the fire. "For the Earth Kingdom, attack!"

Sokka turned to the princess. "Azula, now!"

Azula ran forward, leaping over the pile of coal and sending a giant stream of blue flames at the fire of the guards. The earthbenders lowered the coal, looking at her in surprise.

"Don't just stand there, you idiots! Help me!" The prisoners slammed the coal to the ground; chunks of rock assaulted the guards.

The battle immediately flared, prisoners ducking blasts of fire and countering with fists of coal. Azula sending fireballs left and right, taking down the guards. Katara and Aang chases after Sokka as he snapped soldiers' spears into two with his boomerang, tossing the broken shafts to Momo overhead.

Haru and his father worked in unison to compress gathered coal into one lump, slinging it through the doors to make way for their escape. The guards on top fell down.

"Get to the ships! We'll hold them off!"

"Do not let them escape!" The warden snarled, before turning back to fight Azula.

Aang generated an air funnel and held it between his hands, glancing back at Katara and Sokka. "Guys! Throw me some coal!"

The siblings dropped heaps of coal into his funnel, firing the material at the warden and his fellow benders, knocking them to the ground. Following this, Haru's father and two other earthbenders lifted the coal beneath the guards, moving them away from the rig and over the ocean.

"No, please! I can't swim!" The warden pleaded.

"Don't worry. I hear cowards float." And with that, the pile of coal, and the soldiers on it, was dropped into the sea.

On the barge headed to their homes, Haru and and his father approached Katara and Azula on the deck.

"I want to thank you for saving me. For saving us." Haru smiled.

Katara blushed. "All it took was a little coal."

"It wasn't the coal, Katara. It was you."

Haru's father extended a hand to Azula. "I don't believe we were ever properly introduced. My name is Tyro. It's a surprise to find a firebender on our side of the war."

The princess took it, giving Tyro a firm handshake. "I'm Azula, and trust me, I have no reason to be on the side of the Fire Nation, seeing as I know firsthand how cruel they can be."

Tyro looked out onto the sea, as if remembering something. "Many years ago, when I first arrived on the rig, my fellow earthbenders and I heard about the death of a young princess. An extraordinary girl with the power to yield blue fire. A princess named Azula. My guess is, she wasn't as dead as everyone thought."

Katara chuckled while Azula smirked. "Just don't go around telling people."

"You secret is safe with me." Tyro nodded at Azula, before turning to Katara. "Thank you for helping me find my courage, Katara of the Water Tribe. My family and everyone here owes you much."

Katara smiled. "So, I guess you're going home now."

"Yes. To take back my village." The man raised his voice to the crowd on the lower deck. "To take back all of our villages! The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!"

Haru looked at Katara. "Come with us."

The waterbender shook her head. "I can't. Your mission is to take back your home. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole." She gazed over the rail to see Momo join Aang atop Appa's head, floating in the ocean.

"That's him, isn't it? The Avatar?" At Katara's nod, Haru continued. "Thank you for bringing my father back to me. I never thought I'd see him again. I only wish there was some way…"

"I know." She reached for her necklace wistfully, before realizing that it wasn't around her neck. "My mother's necklace! It's gone!"

Far out to sea, back on the prison rig, a banished prince stood alone, facing the sunset amid coal lying sparsely on the deck. He held a Water Tribe necklace in his fingers, staring at it grimly.


	15. Chapter 14

The group were flying over a green valley, a cloudy sky above them. A messenger hawk floated close to the bison, emitting a cry. Appa let out a roar, making the hawk shriek and stoop down, swiveling out of view.

Aang sat atop Appa's head, Sokka rested in the back of the saddle, carving something with an uninterested look on his face, Katara lied on her stomach, propped up on her elbows, while Momo slept in Azula's lap, the princess running her fingers lazily through his fur.

Katara sighed dreamily. "Those clouds look so soft, don't they? Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big, soft, cottony heap?"

"Maybe you should give it a try." Sokka suggested mockingly.

"You're hilarious."

Azula looked over at Sokka with a mischievous smile. "Hey, Sokka, how about you try it instead, hm? I could give you a little nudge!" The princess leaned over and gave her brother a push, making him grip the saddle and let out a shriek of fear, sending his sisters into a fit of laughter.

Aang perked up. "I'll try it!" With a big smile on his face, he jumped off of Appa, laughing joyously. "Yeah!"

Katara, Sokka and Azula popped their heads over the rim of the saddle, looking down at Aang, who disappeared through a cloud. Katara looked somewhat worried while her siblings gazed wide-eyed at the spot Aang fell through.

The airbender flew back up from behind them on his glider and landed in the bison's saddle. The siblings turned around as they heard the snapping noise of Aang's glider being closed. Aang plopped down on the saddle, a big smile on his face.

"Turns out, clouds are made of water."

Azula laughed and shook her head. "You're crazy."

"Being normal is boring!" Aang responded. He breathed in deeply and slammed his fist against his hand, creating an expanding air ball around him in the process to dry himself off. As Aang leaned back to rest on both his hands, he contently looked at Momo, whose fur got all fluffed by Aang's airbending.

"Hey, what is that?" Katara asked, looking out onto the valley below.

A large, dark patch of burned land stood out among the lush green of the forest. The group climbed over to Appa's head and looked over the front rim of the saddle, surprised looks on their faces.

"It's like a scar."

Appa landed onto the burned field, his passengers hopping off and spreading out. The land was covered in scorched black, leafless trees. Aang looked at the scenery with a sad expression.

"Listen." Sokka held up a finger. "It's so quiet. There's no life anywhere."

Katara sent the airbender a worried look. "Aang? Are you okay?"

"Fire Nation! Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for-" Sokka's tirade was interrupted by a glare from his firebending sister. "Right, You're Fire Nation, sorry!"

"That's not why I'm angry." Azula balled her fists and looked away. "I may be Fire Nation by blood, but I'm Water Tribe by heart, no matter how cheesy that sounds. Don't you see? Aang is devastated by the state of this place, and all you can do is go on and on about the Fire Nation. Show at least a little sympathy, you idiot!"

"Shhh!" Katara shushed at her siblings.

"Since when am I not allowed to tell off our idiot brother?" Azula whispered.

Aang dropped down onto the ground with a deep sigh. "Why would anyone do this? How could I let this happen?"

"Aang, you didn't let this happen. It has nothing to do with you."

"Yes, it does!" Aang picked up a handful of ash. "It's the Avatar's job to protect nature. But I don't know how to do my job."

Katara smiled softly. "That's why we're going to the North Pole. To find you a teacher."

"And you already have a firebending teacher." Azula said, crouching by him.

"Yeah. Bending teachers. But there's no one who can teach me how to be the Avatar. Monk Gyatso said that Avatar Roku would help me."

Sokka scrunched his nose in confusion. "The Avatar before you? He died over a hundred years ago; how are you supposed to talk to him?"

Aang closed his eyes. "I don't know." Momo chittered sympathetically and settled in his lap.

"Katara, we need to talk." The Water Tribe girl looked to her sister in confusion, before getting up and following her to the other side of the field.

Once they were out of earshot, Katara spoke up. "What is it?"

Azula held up a single acorn. "The place used to filled with oak trees, and now it's just full of ash. I mean, I'm not surprised. This isn't the first time I've heard of the Fire Nation burning a forest, but it's certainly the first time I'm seeing it with my own eyes."

"It must be awful for you, knowing it was your family who did this. I can't imagine how I would feel." Katara frowned.

"Forget about me." Azula shook her head. "We have an Avatar to cheer up. And I have just the plan."

"You do?"

Azula held up the acorn as a smirk crossed her face. "How good is your aim?"

The two sisters returned to to boys' side. "Hey, Aang! You ready to be cheered up?"

"No." Came the airbender's response. Azula and Katara shared a mischievous look, the latter throwing an acorn at Aang's head. "Ow! Hey, how is that cheering me up?"

Sokka chuckled. "Cheered me up." Azula threw an acorn at the Water Tribe boy's forehead. "Ow. Yeah, I probably deserved that."

"These acorns are everywhere, Aang. That means the forest will grow back! Every one of these will be a tall oak tree someday, and all the birds and animals that lived here will come back." Katara placed the acorn in Aang's hand and closes it.

"Thanks, Katara."

The group got distracted by an old man in Earth Kingdom clothing who approached them. Sokka narrowed his eyes skeptically. "Hey, who are you?"

"When I saw the flying bison, I thought it was impossible!" The man turned to Aang. "But, those markings, are you the Avatar, child?" Aang looked to Katara, who nodded.

The man looked relieved. "My village desperately needs your help!"

The man led the group through the field back to the half-destroyed village, the town basking in the orange glow of the sunset. The four entered the central building where most of the villagers sat. The man addressed the villagers. "This young boy is the Avatar!"

The leader of the village stood up. "So, the rumors of your return are true! It is the greatest honor of a lifetime to be in your presence."

"Nice to meet you too! So...is there something I can help you with?"

"Our village is in crisis, you're our only hope!" The man explained. "For the last few days at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village. He is Hei Bai, the black and white spirit."

"Why is it attacking you?" Sokka asked.

The leader shook his head. "We do not know, but each of the last three nights, he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the winter solstice draws near."

"What happens then?" Katara spoke up.

"As the solstice approaches, the natural world and the Spirit World grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely." Said the man.

"Hei Bai is already causing devastation and destruction. Once the solstice is here, there's no telling what will happen." The leader added.

"And what do you want me to do, exactly?"

Azula rolled her eyes. "Use your brain, Air Boy. You're the great bridge between our world and the Spirit World, if anyone can stop a spirit, it's you."

Aang looked unsure. "Right, great bridge. That's me."

"Hey great bridge guy, could I talk to you over here for a second?" Katara led Aang over to a window while Sokka looked to the village leader.

"Are you completely sure Aang can help you? I mean, he's a powerful bender and all but he's still a kid."

"Like we said, he's our only hope." The leader nodded solemnly. "If he can't help us, our village will be doomed."

"I'm sure Aang can do it." Added Katara reassuringly.

Azula sighed. "We're all going to get eaten by a giant monster, aren't we?"

Night fell. Sokka, Azula and Katara huddled by the window of the main building with the other villagers, watching Aang stand by the village gates. Katara turned to Azula with a worried look, who in turn placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Hello? Spirit? Can you hear me? This is the Avatar speaking. I'm here to try to help stuff."

Sokka frowned. "This isn't right. We can't sit here and cower while Aang waits for some monster to show up."

"If anyone can save us, he can." Stated the village leader.

"He still shouldn't have to face this alone." The Water Tribe boy reasoned.

"Sokka, look." Azula started. "If Hei Bai really kidnapped those villagers, we can't risk going out there. Do you want to go out there and get taken by a giant spirit or stay and help Aang defeat the Fire Nation?"

"Fine. I guess you're right." Sokka relented.

"I know. I'm always right." Azula turned back towards the window.

"The sun has set. Where are you, Hei Bai?" Aang shouted. "Okay, um, Spirit! Uhhh, I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace!" He spun his staff and stuck it down, in apparent authority. "Well...I guess that's settled, then."

The airbender slowly turned and started to walk away. Behind him, however, the Hei Bai spirit faded into the real world. He walked right behind Aang, the siblings watching from the window, wide eyes. Aang sensed something behind him, turning to see the spirit.

"You must be the Hei Bai spirit. My name is–"

The spirit let out a roar and a burst of energy at the boy, moving past him.

"My name's Aang! I'm the Avatar and I would like to help. Hey, wait up!" Hei Bai continued to wreak havoc, smashing buildings and destroying a tower with spirit energy.

The village leader raised an eyebrow. "The Avatar's methods are...unusual."

"It doesn't seem too interested in what he's saying. Maybe we should go help him." Sokka suggested with a worried look on his face.

"No. Only the Avatar stands a chance against the Hei Bai." Countered the village leader.

"Aang will figure out the right thing to do, Sokka." Katara comforted.

While Hei Bai smashed another building Aang attempted to calm him down. "Please, would you stop destroying things and listen? I'm trying to do my job as spirit bridge! Excuse me, would please turn around? I command you to turn around now!"

The spirit hit Aang and sent him flying to the roof of another building. Sokka shook his head. "That's it. He needs help."

"Sokka, you idiot! Get back here!" Azula shouted after him, but it was too late. Sokka ran out onto the street and threw a boomerang at the spirit.

"Sokka, wait!" Katara attempted to follow him, only to have Azula grab her wrist.

"Katara, it's not safe."

"That's my brother, our brother, out there, and he needs our help!"

Azula's face softened. "I know. But if something happens to you…"

Katara smiled sadly, turning back towards the window. "I can't put you through that."

Sokka ran towards Aang. "We'll fight him together!"

"I don't want to fight him unless I–" Aang was cut off by Hei Bai, who snatched Sokka from the ground and fled into the forest. Aang opened his glider and gave chase.

Katara ripped her wrist out of Azula's hand and ran towards the village entrance, Azula and the villagers following close behind. The Water Tribe girl slid to the ground, her head on her knees.

Azula sat down next to her, wrapping her arms around her sister as Katara sobbed into her shoulder. The golden eyed girl stroked Katara's hair, holding her close. The village leader came up behind them and placed a blanket around the sisters. Azula turned and smiled appreciatively, mouthing a 'Thank you.'

After a while, Katara's breathing shallowed. Azula wrapped the blanket tighter around them and placed her head on Katara's, falling asleep as well.

The princess woke up with a start. Turning around, she realized that Appa pressed up against them during the night. By the position of the sun, Azula deduced that it was early afternoon.

"Good. You're awake."

Azula looked up to see Katara standing over her, her eyes puffy from crying and a determined look on her face.

"Is Aang back? Did he find Sokka?" Azula questioned.

"No." Katara frowned. Come on, get up. We're going after them."

The sisters climbed onto Appa's head, but before they could take off the village leader approached them.

"May I ask where you're going?"

Katara picked up the reigns. "To find Aang and Sokka."

The leader nodded. "I wish you luck."

"Thank you." Azula smiled, "Appa, yip-yip."

The bison took off, flying over the forest. The two sisters looked over the greenery searching for a spot of Sokka's blue or Aang's yellow.

Hours passed and the girls returned to the village, empty handed. The sun set over the village, once again. Katara and Azula dismounted, sharing a sad look.

"He'll be back, Katara. I can feel it."

"How can you be so sure?!" Katara snapped. "They've been gone for twenty four hours! What if they don't return? What would dad say if we lose Sokka? What would happen to the world if Aang disappeares again? We will all be doomed!"

"Uh, Katara?" Azula spoke up.

"What?!"

The princess pointed behind her, making Katara turn around and see Aang standing at the village gate.

"You're back!" She rushed over to give him a hug. "Where's Sokka?"

Aang bit the inside of his cheek. "I'm not sure…"

When night fell, Aang waited at the entrance for Hei Bai. After some time, he gave up and returned to the center building. Just as he exited, however, the spirit appeared to his left. Aang threw up an air shield to stop its attack.

"Aang, what are you doing?! Run!" Katara shouted.

The spirit prepared to resume its attack when Aang jumped in front of it, placing a hand in the Spirit's forehead. "You're the spirit of this forest! Now I understand. You're upset and angry because your home was burned down. When I saw the forest had burned, I was sad and upset, but my friends gave me hope that the forest would grow back!" Aang pulled out an acorn and placed it at the spirit's feet.

Hei Bai picked it up and transformed into a a giant panda. It walked away peacefully. As it left the village, bamboo branches grew in its wake, and three villagers and Sokka emerged from it.

"Sokka!" Katara and Azula ran and embraced their brother, while other villagers hugged their loved ones.

Sokka scratched his head. "What happened?"

"You were trapped in the Spirit World for 24 hours! How are you feeling?" Aang asked.

"Like I seriously need to use the bathroom!" Azula and Katara shared a disgusted look behind the boy's back.

The village leader bowed. "Thank you, Avatar. If only there were a way to repay you for what you've done."

"You could give us some supplies." Sokka suggested.

"And money!" Azula added.

"Sokka! Azula!" Katara cried indignantly.

Sokka shrugged. "What? We need stuff."

"It would be an honor to help you prepare for your journey." The leader nodded.

Katara turned to the grey eyed boy. "I'm so proud of you, Aang. You figured out what to do, all on your own."

"Actually, I did have a little help and there's something else." Aang looked down nervously.

"If it's another way to get us killed," Azula smiled mischievously. "Count us in!"

Aang smiled at Azula. "I need to talk to Roku and I think I found a way to contact his spirit."

"That's great!" Katara beamed.

"Creepy, but great." Sokka agreed.

"There's a temple on a crescent-shaped island and if I go there on the solstice, I'll be able to speak with him." Aang explained.

Azula raised an eyebrow. "Not to put a damper on your mood, but the solstice is tomorrow."

"Yeah, and there's one more problem." Aang looked Azula in the eye. "The island is in the Fire Nation."

**A/N: So, here's the new chapter. I'm sorry if it took a little longer that usual to post.**

**To answer a question left in a review by a guest, I try to update every ten days or so, but now that school started I may not update as often as I don't have time.**

**If you have any questions for me, leave them in a review or PM me and I'll answer them in the next chapter.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-AvatarNia**


	16. Chapter 15

A full moon shone in the sky, Senlin Village standing silent during the early hours of the morning. Aang yanked on Appa's reins, trying to get him to move, but the bison groaned in protest and plopped onto the ground.

"Let's go, Appa! Come on, boy! Look, I'm sorry, but Katara, Sokka and Azula aren't coming to the Fire Nation with us. If they got hurt, I'd never forgive myself. And besides, Azula could get captured and brought to her father, if they can get past Katara, that is." Aang chuckled. "So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!"

Aang jerked at the reins again, getting flung to the ground as Appa resisted. The airbender sighed sadly and flopped backwards onto the earth.

"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something." Aang looked up to see Sokka and Katara standing over him.

Katara looked at him sadly. "Please don't go Aang. The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. Neither can I."

"But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means!" Aang shook his head. "I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the solstice. That's today!"

Aang airbent himself atop Appa's head, a determined look on his face. He was about to grab the reins when a pale hand snatched them out of his reach. "If you think that you're going anywhere without us then you're clearly delusional."

The airbender let out a scream and fell off the bison's head. Azula, reins still in her hand, cringed as Aang collided with the ground. "Sorry!"

"It's all right, I'm used to it." Aang bent the dust off his clothes. "You can't come with me, what if you get captured-"

"Captured-smaptured." Azula rolled her eyes. "We'll just burn the place down and get out of there! As long as you get to talk to Roku, I'm ready to risk it."

Aang still looked uncertain. "Are you sure? I don't want to risk your safety."

"We'll be okay." Katara climbed into the saddle, Sokka right behind her. "Azula is as powerful as an army, we can handle it."

"You flatter me." Azula laughed. "Appa, Yip Yip!"

Appa flew over the ocean, Katara and Sokka looking over the saddle fearfully. Azula sat with Aang on the head, both staring determinedly into the distance.

"Guys?" Katara called. "We've got trouble."

"Yeah! And it's gaining, fast!" Sokka added.

Azula looked back and glared. "Zuko!"

A catapult was raised to the deck of Zuko's ship and loaded with a steaming projectile. A guard sliced the rope holding back the catapult.

"Fireball!" Katara yelled.

Azula jumped up and sent a stream of fire at the fireball, pushing it into the ocean. "You fly, I'll handle the fireballs."

Sokka turned to Aang. "Can't you make Appa go any faster?"

"Yeah. But there's just one little problem." Aang said nervously.

A two-row line of Fire Nation ships stretched across the ocean as far as the eye could see. Numerous catapults were prepared to fire.

Azula furrowed her eyebrow. "Fly north. Then we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade."

"Azula, I appreciate your strategy skills, but there's no time!" Katara exclaimed.

Aang shook his head. "This is exactly why I didn't want you to come! It's too dangerous!"

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder. "And that's exactly why we're here."

"Let's run this blockade!" Sokka, Katara and Azula grinned, making Aang shrink away.

"Appa, yip-yip!" The bison roared, sailing forward even quicker.

The sky became littered with flaming fireballs fired from the blockade. Aang, Sokka, Katara and Azula screamed, the latter recovering first and countering the fireballs with her own flames. Appa tried to evade the attacks, some exploding in mid-air.

The team barely dodged a fireball that exploded right before them, Appa's fur darkened from the explosion. Katara, Sokka and Momo slapped the embers out of it.

"Appa, are you okay?" Aang asked worriedly. Appa roared a reply, soaring higher into the clouds.

Fireballs burst through the clouds, smoke filling everyone's vision. Katara and Sokka gripped Appa's saddle, Aang pulled tighter on the reins and Azula continued to fight off the projectiles. Appa dodged many fireballs before two collided and exploded in front of them. Sokka fell right off the saddle and plunged down to the ocean, screaming.

"Sokka!" Aang whipped the reins down and began a speedy descent in chase of the Water Tribe boy.

Appa reached Sokka just in time. Katara and Azula grabbed his hands, pulling him back into saddle.

Appa skimmed the ocean surface. A fish appeared out of nowhere and slapped Sokka square in the face, knocking him into the saddle. Momo leaped up and grabbed the fish as Appa continued his flight mere feet above the ocean. Fireballs crashed into the water all around them.

A single catapult launched a blast directly toward Appa. Aang airbent forwards off of Appa's head. He used a powerful kick, making a flaming boulder explode in a large smoky blast.

Aang fell backwards onto Appa's head, Azula, Katara and Sokka grabbing him. Appa soared safely over the blockade, passing them.

Aang sighed in relaxation. "We made it."

"We got into the Fire Nation." Sokka grimaced. "Great."

Azula stared over the ocean, a pensive her face. Katara shot her a worried glance. "Azula, are you okay?"

Azula nodded. "It just feels so weird to be in the Fire Nation again."

"You're finally back home." Katara said.

"No." Azula shook her head. "The Southern Water Tribe is my home. The Fire Nation is just a place I used to live."

Katara sighed. "But it still holds a special place in your heart, doesn't it?"

"You know me so well."

"There it is!" Aang exclaimed. "The island where Roku's dragon took me."

Appa landed and flopped onto the ground the second his passages hopped off. Aang walked up to the bison and rubbed its head. "You did it buddy. Nice flying." Appa groaned in satisfaction, rolling to his side to wave three legs into the air lazily, his tongue lolling out.

Katara smiled sweetly and rubbed his belly. "Aww, you must be tired."

Sokka stretched. "No! I'm good. Refreshed and ready to fight some firebenders!"

"She was talking to the bison, you idiot." Azula rolled her eyes.

"Well...I was talking to Momo."

"Riiiight." The princess chuckled.

Katara, Sokka, Aang, Azula and Momo walked along the stone bridge, approaching the multi-story Fire Temple.

"I don't see any guards." Sokka mentioned.

Katara nodded. "The Fire Nation must have abandoned the temple when Avatar Roku died."

"As much as I would love to stay here and admire the temple architecture, it's almost sundown, so we better get a move on." Azula spoke up. The group leaped over the wall and charged for the front door.

The four tiptoed through an enormous chamber with fire-decor columns. Sokka raised a finger to his lips. "Wait. I think I heard something."

Turning around, they saw five men standing in the hallway dressed in red robes with tall hats. "We are the Fire Sages. Guardians of the temple of the Avatar."

"Great! I am the Avatar!" Aang smiled.

"We know." The sage responded, inhaling briskly before punching a blast of fire in their direction.

Aang deflected the fire with his airbending. "I'll hold them off. Run!"

Aang leaped forward and spun his leg across the ground, sending a low air blade that swept the Fire Sages' legs out from beneath them. Aang ran after his friends.

The airbender skidded to a stop in front of the three siblings. "Follow me!"

"Do you know where you're going?" Sokka asked.

Aang rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. "Nope!"

The siblings followed him, running through the hallways. The four come to a sudden stop as a Fire Sage comes into view. Azula lowered herself into a stance, ready to fight off an attack, when the Sage raised his hands in surrender.

"I don't want to fight you! I am a friend."

"Firebenders aren't our friends!" Sokka said, before catching Azula's glare. "Except Azula, that is."

The Sage stepped towards Aang, dropping to his knees and pressing his palms to the floor. "I know why you're here, Avatar."

Aang looked surprised. "You do?"

"Yes." The Sage stood up. "You wish to speak to Avatar Roku. My name is Shyu and I can take you to him."

Azula placed a hand in front of Aang. "How do we know that we can trust you?"

"The other Sages follow the commands of the Fire Lord, I, however, still follow the wishes of Avatar Roku. My life purpose is to serve the Avatar, I mean him no harm. You may not know for sure if you can trust me, I cannot blame you for that, but please, give me a chance to help."

Azula continued to look skeptical, but lowered her hand. "You make one wrong move and I won't hesitate to fry you."

Shyu bowed. "I wouldn't expect anything less, Princess Azula."

"Wait, How did you-" Katara started, but got cut off by her sister.

"Oh forget it, Katara. An old earthbender on a rig in the middle of the ocean knew who I was, and you're surprised that a _Fire Sage_ knows? It seems anyone can recognize me these days, so you can stop acting so shocked every time."

Katara shrugged. "Good point."

Shyu slid back a lamp light and placed him palm on the wall, focusing firebending into the spot to open a secret passageway. "This way."

The group was startled by the echo of the other Sages' voices. Shyu briefly glanced down the hall before ushering the four into the passageway. "Time is running out! Quickly!"

The group entered the passageway and descended the steps into the cave. Shyu entered behind them and close the door.

"Avatar Roku once called this temple his home. He formed these secret passages out of the magma."

Aang looked up. "Did you know Avatar Roku?"

"No. But my grandfather knew him. Many generations of Fire Sages guarded this Fire Temple long before me. We all have a strong spiritual connection to this place."

"I feel it too." Azula spoke up. "It's like my firebending is stronger than usual."

Shyu smiled. "This was Roku's temple. Your connection to him strengthens your firebending."

"My connection?" Azula turned around to face the Sage.

"The Fire Sages predicted that a mix between Sozin's and Roku's bloodlines would create the most powerful benders in the world. I can see now that those predictions were true."

Azula eyes widened. "You mean…?"

The Sage nodded. "Fire Lord Sozin was your father's grandfather. Avatar Roku was your mother's."

"Hey Azula, that makes me your great grandfather!" Aang said, a grin on his face.

"I guess it does."

The group continued their ascend up the spiraling staircase, finally reaching the top. Shyu turned to Aang. "Once you're inside, wait for the light to hit Avatar Roku's statue. Only then will you be able to speak with him."

The Sage slid back a secret tile and climbed into the outer sanctuary. Massive columns with dragon statues atop them lined the room. An immense door stood before them with a device of five open-mouthed dragons on it.

"No!" Shyu gasped.

Aang approached the doors. "Shyu, what's wrong?"

"The sanctuary doors, they're closed!"

Katara tugged at the door. "Can't you just open them with firebending? Like you opened that other door?"

Shyu shook his head. "No. Only a fully realized Avatar is powerful enough to open this door alone. Otherwise, the sages must open this door together, with five simultaneous fire blasts."

"Five Sages, a fully realized Avatar," Azula smirked. "Or one firebending princess."

Azula took a deep breath and conjured five fireballs in front of her. Lining them up to the tubes, she took a step forward and pushed them in.

The blasts went off and the doors swung open, revealing a statue of Roku inside. Azula looked at Aang and nodded. "Say hello to my great grandfather for me."

"Don't worry, I will." Aang nodded back before entering the room, the doors slamming behind him.

"Now what?" Sokka asked,

"Now we sit," Azula said, plopping down onto the floor. "And wait."

Minutes later, the group heard footsteps. The Fire Sages came rushing onto the room, stopping abruptly at the sight of the siblings lounging around. "Where is the Avatar?"

Katara pointed to the doors. "In there. Good luck getting to him."

"Sages! Open the doors!" Called a voice from behind a pillar.

Azula's head snapped in the direction of the voice. "Zuko."

The prince walked into view, a scowl on his face. "Azula."

"Want another rematch?" The princess taunted.

"I'm here for the Avatar." Zuko turned towards the Sages. "Open the doors"

He and four Sages launched fire blasts into the lock but nothing happened. Zuko groaned in frustration. "Why isn't it working? It's sealed shut!"

One of the Fire Sages spoke up. "Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside."

Sokka smiled. "Damn right he doesn't."

Zuko turned to Shyu. "Why did you help the Avatar?"

"Because it was once the sages' duty. It is still our duty."

A slow clap interrupted the interrogation "What a moving and heartfelt performance. I'm certain the Fire Lord will understand, when you explain why you betrayed him."

The Great Fire Sage bowed. "Commander Zhao."

The commander nodded at the Sage before turning to the banished prince. "Prince Zuko. It was a noble effort, but your little smokescreen didn't work. Two traitors in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased."

Katara laughed nervously. "I see you are very busy with your interrogation, so how about we come back later."

Zhao turned towards the siblings, noticing them for the first time. He frowned in disgust at their Water Tribe clothing before focusing on Azula, who scowled at him. The commander's eyes slightly widened. "Princess Azula."

"Lieutenant Zhao."

Zhao smirked. "It's Commander Zhao now, Princess."

"Whatever." Azula rolled her eyes. "I still outrank you."

"Afraid not, _Princess. _For you see, up until this moment everyone in the Fire Nation considered you dead. Just imagine the Fire Lord's reaction when he gets his daughter back."

Azula raised an eyebrow. "So what are you going to do? Write a letter to my father?"

Zhao chuckled. "Why would I let the Fire Lord send armies after you when I can deliver you myself? A traitor son, a long lost daughter and the Avatar? Fire Lord Ozai would promote me to admiral! I'd be a national hero!"

"As great as that sounds, how about no." Azula smiled, sending a blue fireball at Zhao, who barely dodged it.

The commander was about to retaliate when the doors burst open. Aang floated in midair, his eyes and tattoos glowing. Zhao, Zuko and the Sages sent a wall of fire at the boy.

The wall of fire was stopped abruptly. Avatar Roku, eyes aglow, was revealed behind the flames, untouched.

Shyu looked up in awe. "Avatar Roku!"

Avatar Roku drew the circling fire together in one motion. He sent it forward in one powerful wave that seared the room, blasting the offenders off their feet and destroying the outer wall of the temple.

"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple! We have to get out of here!" Shyu shouted.

Katara shook her head. "Not without Aang!"

Roku kneeled into a forward strike, melting the floor with a firebending trail. He steadily lifted his hand, causing the stream of lava below to erupt into maddened explosions. The lava soared through the temple, tearing it apart.

Azula, Katara and Sokka huddled together, arm-in-arm, behind a column. Sokka crouched over his sisters, protecting them from the heat. The destruction ceased momentarily as Roku lowered his hands, exhaling soundly. The beam of the solstice left the statue, it's eyes no longer aglow. As this happened, all the smoke in the room drew in upon Avatar Roku, his form disappearing to leave behind a weary Aang.

Aang sighed weakly and dropped to his knees. Sokka, Azula and Katara approached

his sides, supportively lifting him back to his feet. Sokka put a hand on his shoulder. "We got your back."

"Thanks. Where's Shyu?"

Katara shook her head. "I don't know."

The temple slightly crumbled due to the destruction. Aang, Azula, Katara and Sokka stared in horror at the stairwell leading to the exit, which filled with lava.

They quickly turned to the only exit, the hole in the wall Roku had created. There was no escaping, as they were on the top level of the temple.

The four gasped in surprise as Appa and Momo closed in. They ran out of the temple, leaping into Appa's saddle.

Night time fell. Appa flew through the clouds, the full moon shining brightly. A sad Aang sat in the saddle with his head hung. Katara, Sokka and Azula crawled over, enveloping him into a hug. Aang smiled in appreciation, looking out over the ocean.

"It's going to be okay, Aang." Azula assured him. "Everything is going to be okay."

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update! I'm very busy with school but I promise that I won't abandon this fic. I love writing it and reading all of your feedback, so know that another chapter is always coming, no matter how long it takes.**

**-AvatarNia**


	17. Chapter 16

Aang paced around nervously in the saddle, breathing heavily and irritating the three siblings. Sokka groaned from his spot on Appa's head.

"Would you sit down? If we hit a bump, you'll go flying off. What's bugging you anyway?"

"It's what Avatar Roku said. I'm supposed to master all four elements before that comet arrives." Aang confessed.

Sokka smiled sarcastically. "Well, let's see. You pretty much mastered airbending and that only took you a hundred and twelve years. I'm sure you can master three more elements by next summer."

Aang had a frightful note in his voice. "I haven't even started waterbending and we're still weeks away from the North Pole. What am I gonna do?"

"Calm down, it's going to be okay." Katara pulled him down next to her. "If you want, I can try to teach you some of the stuff I know."

"Why didn't I think of that? And Azula can start showing me some firebending!" Aang exclaimed.

"Hold your ostrich horses, Air Boy." Azula spoke up. "The legends say that the Avatar needs to master the elements _in order_. That means no fire until you've mastered water and earth."

Aang frowned in disappointment. "Aw, come on!"

"Sorry, Aang. Can't argue with the legends." Sokka smirked. "Meanwhile, why don't we find you some puddle to splash in."

Appa landed onto a river bank by a giant waterfall. Aang and Katara looked over the water with excited eyes, while Sokka and Azula shared an exasperated glance before speaking in unison. "Nice puddle."

Appa jumped down into the river creating a huge splash that almost knocked Momo off the rock he was sitting on.

Aang pulled off his shirt and ran towards the water. "Yeah! Don't start without me, boy!"

Azula caught him by the arm. "Waterbending practise, remember?"

The airbender stopped short and looked over to the sisters. "Oh right. Time to practice waterbending."

"Great. So what am I supposed to do?" Sokka asked.

"You could clean the gunk out of Appa's toes." Aang handed Sokka a branch.

Sokka frowned and crossed his arms. "So, while you guys are playing in the water, I'm supposed to be hard at work picking mud out of a giant bison's feet?"

"Mud and bugs!" Aang smiled.

"Will you at least help me?" Sokka looked over to the princess.

"Nope." Azula sat on a stone and crossed her legs. "I'm going to meditate."

"Okay." Sokka snatched the stick and walked over to the bison floating in the water.

Azula took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The bright sun beat down on the back of her neck. The energy pulsed through the princess' body, gathering at her fingertips. She placed her hands on her knees, palms up, and lit up a blue flame in each.

"Azula!" Katara's voice cut through the golden eyed girl's trance. "Come on, we're going to the market."

The princess opened her eyes and extinguished her fire. "Waterbending practise over already?"

Katara didn't respond, instead choosing to walk past her sister and towards the village. Azula shrugged and followed.

Katara, Sokka, Azula and Aang walked through the streets of the market. Armed soldiers stared at the group, making the siblings share an uneasy look.

"We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely." Sokka said.

"Uh, make that two copper pieces, Sokka." Aang said nervously. "I couldn't say no to this whistle!" He pulled out a white whistle shaped like a bison, took a deep breath and blew into it, but it barely made a sound.

He stopped blowing after Momo squawked at him. Sokka raised a single eyebrow. "See? It doesn't work. Even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk."

"No offense Aang, but I'll hold the money from now on." Katara said, taking the two copper pieces.

"Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here! Don't be shy, come on by!" Called a man from the docks. His gaze landed on the group. Oh! You there, I can see from your clothing that you're

world-traveling types. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?"

"Sure!" Aang smiled, before furrowing his brow. "What are curios?"

The man looked confused. "I'm not entirely sure. But we got 'em!" He put a hand on Aang's shoulder, walking him into the ship.

Inside the boat, strange collectibles lined the shelves on the walls. Azula, Aang, Katara and Sokka looked around the shelves,looking uncomfortable at the glances the men on the boat gave them

A man with a strange looking hat and an iguana parrot on his shoulder looked at Momo, who was sitting on Aang's back. "I've never seen such a fine specimen of lemur. That beast would fetch me a hefty sum if you'd be interested in bartering."

"Momo's not for sale."

Azula lingered by a rack of Fire Nation clothing. Her eyes scanned the multitude of red and pink kimonos, shirts and shoes before lingering on a deep red sash with a golden embroidery. Her eyes slightly widened. "How much for the sash?"

The man nodded. "Ah, you have rather exquisite taste, young lady. Got that one off a woman in the western Fire Nation a few years back. One hundred gold pieces."

"Around seven years ago, right?" Azula asked.

"Around, yes. In the village of Hira'a, if I remember correctly." The man confirmed.

Suddenly, Azula's whole demeanor changed as she started advancing on the man. "A hundred gold pieces for a sash is outrageous! This thing couldn't have been worth more than ten silver. Besides, you got it off someone, which means it's been used multiple times. At this rate, you should give it to me for free."

By that point, she had the man backed against a wall, a death glare in her eyes and a blue fire dagger pressed close to his throat. The man gave a fearful smile. "Would you like it gift wrapped?"

"No, thanks." Azula smiled, folding the sash and placing it into a bag. "Pleasure doing business with you."

"You can choose any other clothes that you like! It's on the house!" The man called after her.

Katara walked over to a shelf filled with scrolls. She grabbed one with a waterbending symbol and opened it.

"Look at this, Aang. It's a waterbending scroll! Check out these crazy moves."

Aang turned to the man. "Where did you get a waterbending scroll?"

The man slammed his hand onto the scroll and pulled it away. "Let's just say I got it up North, at a most reasonable price, free." He rolled up the scroll put it away.

"Wait a minute-" Sokka spoke up. "Sea loving traders, with suspiciously acquired merchandise and pet reptile birds? You guys are pirates!"

One of the pirates placed his arm around a terrified Sokka's shoulders. "We prefer to think of ourselves as 'high risk traders,' if you know what I mean."

Katara held their two copper pieces next to Aang, with the captain on the other side of the counter they were leaning on. "So, how much for the, uh, traded scroll?"

"I've already got a buyer, a nobleman in the Earth Kingdom. Unless of course, you kids have two hundred gold pieces on you right now." The captain smirked.

"I know how to deal with these guys, Katara." Aang whispered. "Pirates love to haggle. Watch and learn." He walked over to the counter, leaning against it. "Let's say

to the price of, one copper piece!"

The pirate captain laughed hysterically. "The price is two hundred gold pieces. I don't haggle on items this rare."

"Okay, two copper pieces!"

"It's not as amusing the second time, boy!" The captain said, aggravated.

"Aang, can we get out of here? I feel like we're getting weird looks." Katara said.

"Aye, we be casting off now! Let's go, Azula."

The princess stuffed some extra clothing into her bag and followed her siblings out of the ship.

"So why the sudden leave?" Azula asked.

Sokka nodded. "Yeah, I was just starting to browse through their boomerang collection."

"I'll just feel a lot better once we get away from here." The waterbender responded.

"Hey you! Get back here!" One of the pirates shouted.

Aang calmly turned around. "Well, well. Look who's come to their senses. Told you the haggling would pay off."

Suddenly, the group of pirates jumped out of the boat, swinging their weapons.

"I don't think these pirates are here to trade with us." Katara said in a scared voice, before turning and running. Aang, Sokka and Azula ran after her, the pirates chasing them.

Katara froze a puddle to make the pirates slip. The group ran past a cart of cabbages, nearly knocking it over. Aang sent a gust of air at the cart, throwing it at the pirates.

"My cabbages!" The cabbage merchant screamed. "This place is worse than Omashu!"

The group of pirates jumped out of another street and chased Azula, Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Momo.

"I hope that lemur of yours has nine lives!"

The pirates cornered the group in the dead end of a street. "Now, who gets to taste the steel of my blade first?"

Aang spun his staff and hurled a blast of air at the pirates, before opening the glider. "Grab on tight!"

"Aang! I thought we were running away from the pirates!" Katara shouted as the siblings jumped in the glider. Azula sent a fire blast out of her foot to give them a boost.

The group finally made it back to their camp on the river bank. Aang folded his glider. "I used to kind of look up to pirates, but those guys are terrible."

Katara smiled mischievously. "I know. That's why I took this." She held out the waterbending scroll.

"No way!" Aang exclaimed.

"No wonder they were trying to hack us up! You stole their waterbending scroll!" Sokka accused.

"I prefer to think of it as high risk trading."

Aang laughed. "Good one, Katara."

"Sokka, where do you think they got it?" Katara said. "They stole it from a waterbender!"

Sokka shook his head. "It doesn't matter. You put all of our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid, fancy splashes."

"These are real waterbending forms. You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn waterbending!" Katara reasoned.

"Whatever." Sokka plopped onto the ground. "So what am I supposed to do while you two are off splashing in the kiddie pool and Princess Blue-Flame over there is squealing over all the pretty dresses she got."

"I do not squeal!" Azula argued. "We'll probably have to sneak into the Fire Nation at some point, right? The four of us will stick out like a sore thumb without red clothing. Unlike you, I actually think about the future."

Katara sat by her sister. "You may be a good liar, but I know there's more to it that camouflage. That sash you haggled off the pirates? It caught your eye for a reason, didn't it?"

"Fine, you got me." The princess sighed and pulled out the sash. "This belonged to my mother."

Sokka and Katara both gasped, exchanging a surprised glance. Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

Azula nodded. "The pirates got this around seven years ago from a woman in Hira'a. That's where my mother's from, and seven years ago is when she disappeared. They stole it from her."

"It could be just a coincidence." Sokka reasoned.

"Couldn't be. She always wore this when we went out to festivals or when Father threw another one of his extravagant parties." Azula brought the sash up to her face. "It still smells like her."

"But I thought that you…" Katara hesitated. "Didn't really have the best opinion on you mother."

Azula got up from her spot. "I don't. But I would be lying to myself if I say that I don't miss her. I need to go clear my head for a while. Have fun waterbending!"

Azula walked off into the forest, the sash still in her hands. She found a good spot in the clearing and sat down to meditate. Meditation always helped her clear her mind and calm herself down.

She zoned out, focusing on the heat of the sun. She hasn't seen her mother in seven years. Her mother always loved Zuko more, she called Azula a monster, she said that there was something wrong with her. But spirits, did Azula _miss _her! Ursa may not have been the best mother, but she was her mother nonetheless.

Maybe her mother did love her. Maybe Azula just fell under her father's brainwashing. Ozai always told her that he will be the only one who will ever love her. She learned that the statement was a lie when she moved to the South Pole. Maybe Ozai's words about how Ursa hated her were lies too.

"Um, Azula?"

Azula opened her eyes to see Aang standing next to her. She raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be waterbending?"

"Katara went a little crazy. I think she's jealous that I'm just a tiny bit better than her."

The princess nodded. "She was always competitive."

"I actually wanted to ask you something." Aang started nervously. "Katara said that you don't have a good opinion about your mother. Why is that?"

"You mean we never told you?" Aang shook his head, so Azula continued. "Back when I was living in the Fire Nation, my father told me that my mother loved Zuko and hated me. I was young, naive and gullible, so I believed him. She disappeared a few months before I went to live with Katara. I mean, my mother wasn't entirely innocent. I heard her asking what was wrong with me behind back, but I guess that she did love me, she just wasn't sure how to show it."

"I'm sorry, Azula. I didn't know." Aang apologized.

"It's fine. At least now you know why the sash meant so much to me."

To Azula's surprise, Aang hugged her. She found herself hugging him back. Aang smiled. "The sun is setting. Wanna head back?"

"Sure, Katara must have calmed down by now." Azula grinned.

The next morning, Azula woke up to a panicked Sokka. "Where's the fire?"

"There is no fire! Katara's gone!" Sokka exclaimed.

Aang yawned. "Gone? Gone where?"

"She took the scroll! She's obsessed with that thing. It's just a matter of time before she gets us all in deep-" Sokka got cut off as a pirate threw a rope around his arms and dragged him forward. He rolled away and charged at the pirate while another pirate captured Aang in a net and dragged him away.

"I got him, come on!"

"Oh, what? Azula and I aren't good enough to kidnap?" The pirate shot two other nets at Sokka and Azula and dragged them away too.

The three were dragged over to where Zuko, Iroh and the rest of the pirates were waiting. Katara was there, tied to a tree, a guilty look on her face. "Aang, this is all my fault."

"No Katara, it isn't." Aang shook his head.

"Yeah, it kind of is." Iroh agreed, making Katara glare at him.

"Uncle Iroh!" Azula exclaimed, burning the ropes and engulfing the man into a hug.

"Azula! Look how tall you've gotten!" Iroh said, hugging her back.

"Aw, how sweet! Azula is reuniting with her uncle while her friends are _tied up and lying on the DUSTY GROUND_!" Sokka shouted.

"Give me the boy!" Zuko scowled.

"You give us the scroll." The pirate captain retorted.

"You're trading a scroll for the Avatar?" Azula snorted. "You guys are dumber that Sokka!"

"Hey!"

"Don't listen my sister, she's trying to turn us against each other!" Zuko scowled.

The captain turned to Aang. "Your friend is the Avatar?"

"Sure is, and I'll bet he'll fetch a lot more on the black market than that fancy scroll." Sokka smiled.

"Shut your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant!" Zuko shouted.

"Yeah, Sokka, you really should shut your mouth." Aang whispered.

Azula grabbed Zuko's ponytail and pressed a fire dagger to his throat. "Don't you dare call my brother a peasant!"

"Your brother?" Zuko laughed. "Getting all buddy-buddy with the barbarians, are we? Look how far you've fallen."

"At least I'm not failing at capturing a twelve year old."

Iroh laughed. "I see you've still got your snark, Princess Azula."

"Why, thank you!" Azula smirked. "And now, eat koi fish, Zuzu!" And with that, she threw the banished prince into the water.

"Once he's dry, tell him that the deal is off. We can buy a hundred scrolls with the reward we'll get for the kid."

Zuko jumped out of the water, steam coming out of his nostrils. "You'll regret breaking a deal with me!" He and two of his soldiers sent blasts of fire at the pirates. The pirates ran back and threw smoke bombs, jumping into the cloud as the fight started.

Some of the soldiers ran to Sokka and Aang, who were struggling with their ropes, but were stopped by several pirates. Momo flew down the tree and freed Katara.

"Thanks, Momo. I owe you a bushel of apples." She ran to join the fight.

Azula was locked in combat with Zuko, exchanging pleasantries with Iroh as she was doing so.

"Looks like six years in the South haven't put a damper on you skills." The old man remarked.

"Thanks. I practise by kicking Sokka's butt on a daily basis." Azula responded, dodging a fireball.

"Speaking of this Sokka boy, you seem to have acquired a rather interesting set of friends."

Azula sent blue flames at Zuko. "They're more than friends, they're family. Sokka and Katara are like siblings to me, and Aang...He might become my brother in law one day. I see the way he looks at Katara, if you know what I mean."

Iroh nodded. "Ah, young love."

"Uh." Zuko grimaced. "Are we fighting, or gossiping about dumb teenage crushes?"

"Says the one who blushed like a schoolgirl whenever Mai walked into the room." Azula laughed.

"Girls are crazy!" Zuko shouted, storming off to fight with the pirates.

"Still as hot headed as ever. Times change, Zuzu stays the same." Azula looked over to her uncle. "You should stop him before he gets himself killed."

Iroh sighed, walking over and breaking up the fight between the pirate captain and Zuko. "Are you so busy fighting you cannot see your own ship has set sail?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "We have no time for your proverbs, Uncle!"

"It's no proverb! He pointed over to Aang, Sokka and Katara who hijacked the pirate ship.

"Bleeding hog monkeys!" Azula and Zuko laughed hysterically at the misfortune of the pirates. The latter's laughter dissipated as the pirates hijacked his own boat.

"Hey! That's my boat!"

"Maybe it should be a proverb." Iroh pondered. "Oh, Azula, I think your friends need a little help."

Azula turned to see the pirate ship teetering in the edge of a waterfall. The princess ran over to Appa with a determined look on her face. She jumped up on the head of the bison, flicking the reins and flying towards the waterfall.

"Jump, you idiots!" She shouted once she was close enough.

The three jumped, landing squarely in the saddle. "Thanks, Azula. We owe you one." Sokka nodded.

"Aang, I still owe you an apology. You were just so good at waterbending without really trying. I got so competitive that I put us all in danger, I'm sorry." Katara looked down in shame.

Aang smiled at her. "That's okay Katara."

"Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyway?" The waterbender shrugged.

Sokka held out the scroll. "Is that really how you feel?"

"The scroll!" Katara exclaimed with a wide smile on her face.

"First, what did you learn?" Sokka asked.

"Stealing is wrong." She snatched the scroll. "Unless it's from pirates."

"Katara you cheeky little- don't you dare do that again!" Azula laughed. "No, seriously. Never do that again!"

The comment sent the group into fits of laughter as Appa flew off into the sky, leaving the pirates behind.

**A/N: To answer a question from a review, I do have a long Legend of Korra story planned after Dragon of the South, but I will take a break before writing it. Other than that, only one shots and short stories.**

**-AvatarNia**


	18. Chapter 17

Azula, Aang, Katara and Sokka sat at their camp in a forest, Appa rested contently behind them. Aang looked around, his nose scrunching up in confusion. "Where's Momo?"

The bored Look was knocked of the siblings' faces when they heard the lemur's screech. They turned towards the trees, spotting Momo in a cage between the branches.

Aang airbent himself up, undoing the cage's mechanism and dropping it to the ground. Katara and Sokka pulled apart the cage and released the lemur. Momo chittered in appreciation and landed on Azula's shoulder. Sokka threw his boomerang and released the other two animals

"Fire Nation traps." Azula said, kneeling by them.

Sokka nodded. "Let's pack up. We have to get going."

With that, the group started to load up their bags into Appa's saddle when Sokka stopped them. "Uh uh. No flying this time."

"What? Why wouldn't we fly?" Aang asked.

"Think about it: Somehow Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us." Sokka looked over to Azula, who interrupted him with an unladylike snort. "What?"

"I just find it funny how you call him 'Prince Zuko.' Just call him Zuzu, it's way more fitting."

Sokka scowled. "As I was saying, they keep finding us because they spot Appa, he's just too noticeable."

"What? Appa's not too noticeable!" Katara said.

Sokka pointed dramatically at the bison. "He's a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head! It's kinda hard to miss him!"

"Sokka's just jealous because he doesn't have an arrow." Aang turned to Appa.

"I know you all wanna fly, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and walk." Sokka rolled his eyes.

Katara leaned in towards her brother. "Who made you the boss?"

"I'm not the boss, I'm the leader."

"You're the leader? But your voice still cracks!" Katara laughed.

Sokka deepened his voice. "I'm the oldest, and I'm a warrior, so I'm the leader!"

"Did you forget that I whooped your butt every time we fought?" Azula smirked. "Or do you need a reminder?"

As Sokka shrunk away, Katara interrupted them. "If anyone's the leader, it's Aang. I mean he is the Avatar."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding, he's just a goofy kid!"

Aang hung upside-down from Appa's right horn with his feet sticking out in the air. "He's right."

"Why do boys always think someone has to be the leader? I bet you wouldn't be so bossy if you kissed a girl." Katara rolled her eyes.

"I've kissed a girl, you two just haven't met her." Sokka said defensively.

Azula snorted. "Gran Gran doesn't count."

Katara nodded. "We've met Gran Gran."

"No! Besides Gran-Gran. Look, my instincts tell me we have a better chance of slipping through on foot, and a leader has to trust his instincts." Sokka crossed his arms.

"Okay, we'll try it your way, oh wise leader." Katara said sarcastically.

"Who knows? Walking might be fun." Aang smiled. Later, as they trudged through the forest, Aang groaned in frustration. "Walking stinks! How do people go anywhere without a flying bison?"

Katara smiled. "Well I don't know, Aang. Why don't you ask Sokka's instincts? They seem to know everything."

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"I'm tired." Azula complained over dramatically. "These princess feet weren't made for walking. I simply must get a palanquin right this minute or I will die!"

"Oh, poor you! Maybe the Water Peasant known as our brother might carry you to save you from the burden of walking." Katara added.

"That's not a bad idea." Azula said in a normal voice. She jumped into Sokka's back, the boy staggering under the weight.

"Okay, okay. I get it." Sokka said in a strained voice. "Look, I'm tired too. But at least we're safe from the Fire Nation."

Just as he said that, the group walked through the bushes right into a Fire Nation camp. The soldiers looked at the four and got up, readying their weapons.

"Don't firebend." Sokka whispered as Azula jumped off his back. The soldiers began to advance, setting the bushes behind the group on fire and cutting off their escape. Sokka turned to the soldiers. "If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you."

Katara leaned in towards him. "What are you doing?"

"Bluffing?"

"_You_ promise not to hurt _us_?" A soldier with an eye patch laughed before somehow getting knocked out.

"Nice work, Sokka! How'd you do that?" Aang asked.

"Uh, instinct?"

Katara pointed up a tree. "Look!"

In the tree, a boy with hook swords jumped and took down two soldiers. He ran forward and took down two more using his hook swords. Katara looked amazed, Aang shocked, Azula uncertain and Sokka confused.

Another soldier charged at the boy, but got quickly defeated.

"They're in the trees!"

A young boy landed on top of the soldier and turned his helmet around to blind him, before riding him around while laughing. Another boy launched arrows at the soldiers while more boys come out of the trees. Aang and Katara fought the soldiers with air and waterbending. Azula kicked a soldier in the chest and threw him into a nearby tree. Sokka raised his boomerang and yelled as a soldier approached him, but stopped when the boy took him down first.

"Hey, he was mine!" Sokka shouted

"Gotta be quicker next time!"

Sokka looked dismayed as a huge boy fell out of the trees and easily took down two soldiers as the hook sword boy knocked down one more, causing this soldier's weapon to hit another soldier who was going to battle Sokka, making that soldier also fall down.

The boy disarmed another soldier and ran up to Katara.

"Hey."

"Hi."

They looked around to see a now empty camp."

"You just took out a whole army almost single-handed." Aang said, amazed.

Sokka scoffed. "Army? There were only like, twenty guys."

"My name is Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters, Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak."

"I'm Katara and these are my siblings, Sokka and Azula, and our friend, Aang."

Aang looked at a short kid wearing a helmet. "Ha, ha, Pipsqueak, that's a funny name." The kid sniffed and nodded at the boy next to him.

"You think my name is funny?"

"It's hilarious!" Aang nodded.

Suddenly, Pipsqueak burst out laughing, Aang and The Duke following suit. Pipsqueak pat Aang on the back, the sheer force was enough to knock the airbender to the ground.

The Freedom Fighters continued to raid the camp while Katara and Azula walked up to Jet.

"Umm, thanks for saving us Jet. We're lucky you were there." Katara started.

Jet nodded. "I should be thanking you. We were waiting to ambush those soldiers all morning, we just needed the right distraction, and then you guys stumbled in."

Katara eyed Sokka. "We were relying on instincts."

"You'll get yourself killed doing that." Jet laughed, looking from Azula to Katara. "So you two are sisters, huh? You don't really look alike."

"Sisters by choice." Azula explained. "I moved to Katara's village when we were little and I swear that we tell this story every other week."

"Hey Jet, these barrels are filled of blasting jelly." The Duke called.

"That's a great score."

"And these boxes are filled with jelly candy!" Pipsqueak added.

"Also good, let's not get those mixed up. Take the stuff back to the hideout." Jet commanded.

Aang's eyes widened. "You guys have a hideout?"

"You wanna see it?"

"Yes, we wanna see it!" Katara said, excitedly.

The Freedom Fighters led them to their hideout, stopping in a clearing surrounded by trees. "We're here."

Sokka looked around. "Where? There's nothing here."

"Hold this." Jet gave Sokka a rope.

The boy screamed as he got pulled up into the branches.

"Aang?" He offered Aang another rope.

"I'll get up on my own." Aang said, airbending himself up.

Jet turned to Azula, who shook her head. "No thanks. I'll do it myself."

The princess grabbed hold of a branch, pulling herself up onto it. She proceeded to jump up the branches in quick succession, landing beside Sokka in seconds.

"Nice place you got!" Aang complimented.

Katara smiled. "It's beautiful up here!

"It's beautiful and the Fire Nation can't find us here." Jet said.

"They would love to find you. Wouldn't they, Jet?" Smellerbee laughed.

"It's not gonna happen, Smellerbee."

Katara looked confused. "Why does the Fire Nation want to find you?"

"I guess you could say I've been causing them a little trouble. See, they took over a nearby Earth Kingdom town a few years back." Jet shrugged.

"We've been ambushin' their troops, cutting off their supply lines, and doing anything we can to mess with 'em. Pipsqueak explained.

Jet frowned. "One day, we'll drive the Fire Nation out of here for good and free that town."

"That's so brave." Katara said, making Azula snort. Katara sent a glare her way.

"Yeah, nothing's braver than a guy in a tree house." Sokka said sarcastically.

Katara shook her head. "Don't pay any attention to my brother and sister. They're both older than me and think that they know better."

"No problem. They probably had a rough day." Jet said.

Katara sighed. "So, you all live here?"

Jet nodded. "That's right. Longshot over there? His town got burned down by the Fire Nation. And we found The Duke trying to steal our food. I don't think he ever really had a home."

"What about you?" Katara asked sadly.

"The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eight years old. That day changed me forever."

"Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation." The Water Tribe girl said. "And Azula? She, well, she suffered under Fire Lord Ozai's rule too."

Later in the evening, Jet, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Azula and the Freedom Fighters sat on a platform under the red canopy. The group sat a long table, ropes with lanterns hanging between the branches above him. Jet cleared his throat and stood up on the table.

"Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine." Everyone cheered. Katara and Aang smiled while Sokka and Azula scowled. "Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a couple of kids hiding in the trees. Maybe they're right. Or maybe...they're dead wrong."

Katara looked to Jet as he sat down. "Hey Jet, nice speech."

"Thanks. By the way, I was really impressed with you and Aang. That was some great bending I saw out there today."

"Well, he's great. He's the Avatar." The girl blushed. "I could use some more training."

"Avatar huh? Very nice." Jet smirked.

Aang smiled. "Thanks Jet."

"So I might know a way that you and Aang can help in our struggle." Jet started.

Sokka started to walk away. "Unfortunately, we have to leave tonight."

"Sokka, you're kidding me! I needed you on an important mission tomorrow."

"What mission?"

The next morning, when Jet, Sokka, Smellerbee and Longshot left for their mission, Azula watched as Katara and Aang practiced waterbending.

"So Azula, what do you think of Jet?" Aang asked.

"Well, I'm not really into guys, but-"

"Not like that!" The airbender laughed. "Just as a human being."

Azula frowned. "He doesn't seem very trustworthy, to be honest."

"Sokka's instincts must have rubbed off on you." Katara rolled her eyes. "Jet's a good guy."

"If you say so." Azula stood up and made her way back to the treehouse, Katara and Aang trailing after her.

At the hideout, Aang and Momo were playing with the ziplines again. The airbender leaped down near Sokka.

"Sokka! Look what The Duke gave me!" He pulled a pellet from a bag and threw it at Momo's feet, where it exploded with a pop. The lemur hissed and threw the pellets at Aang before jumping onto Azula's shoulder.

Sokka was oblivious to It all. He sat with his back to the trunk and stared at the ground, glaring. Katara walked up to him.

"Hey, Sokka. Is Jet back?"

Sokka frowned. "Yeah he's back. But we're leaving."

Katara pulled out a hat made of stitched leaves with a flower on top. "But I made him this hat!"

"Your boyfriend Jet is a thug." Sokka said angrily.

Katara looked appalled. "What? No, he's not."

"He's messed up Katara."

Aang shrugged. "He's not messed up, he's just got a different way of life, a really fun way of life."

"He beat and robbed a harmless old man!" Sokka exclaimed.

"I want to hear Jet's side of the story."

"Nope." Azula stood up. "You can solve your boyfriend issues by yourself. I'll go off to meditate."

"Sure." Aang nodded. "We'll see you later.

Hours later, Azula sat on a branch just above the treehouse, relaxing in the afternoon sunlight. She looked down at one of the huts, where Sokka walked in circles with a frantic look on his face. The princess pulled an acorn from the branch above her and threw it at Sokka's head.

"Ow." The Water Tribe boy looked up. "Azula! Just the person I was looking for. I need your help!"

Azula jumped from the branch and landed squarely on her feet. "You, coming to me for help? Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

"Now's not the time! Jet is planning to blow up the dam!"

"We have to warn the villagers." Azula demeanor changed entirely. She shared a determined look with Sokka as they started running towards the village. "Wait. We're going to need a disguise."

Azula led Sokka into the hut she and Katara shared. After rummaging through her stuff, she pulled out a set of red clothing that she got from the pirates. "Here, put this on."

"Uh, right in front of you?" Sokka asked nervously.

"No, you idiot!" She pushed him out of the door. "In your own hut!"

Once Sokka left, Azula changed into her own set of Fire Nation clothing. After a moment of hesitation, she tied her mother's sash around her waist. After a few minutes Sokka slowly opened the door. "You ready?"

Azula turned around. "Yep."

"Your mother's sash?" Sokka raised an eyebrow.

"Might as well try to fit in." Azula shrugged.

Sokka didn't question it, instead setting off towards the village, Azula close behind them. The two ran through the forest, keeping to the shadows to avoid any Freedom Fighters that might be hiding in the trees.

They ran through the gates and into the village square. The villagers looked at them questioningly as they caught their breaths. The soldiers got into a defensive position.

"Who are you?" One of the soldiers pointed his spear at them.

Sokka quickly composed himself. "I'm Lee and this is my little sister, Mai. We've come to warn you that someone is going to blow up the dam!"

The guard looked at the two of them, noticing their red clothing and Azula's Fire Nation looks. He still had a sceptical expression. "Do you have proof?"

"The Freedom Fighters," Azula explained. "The group of teenagers hiding in the trees and terrorizing you soldiers? Their leader, Jet, wants to use the blasting jelly they stole yesterday to blow the dam and flood the village."

"And how do we know that we can trust you? That you aren't spies sent by these Freedom Fighters?"

"They're telling the truth." An old man emerged from the crowd. "The boy saved me from their leader this morning. If they say that the village is in danger, then we all have to leave."

After a short debate, the villagers agreed with the man. Sokka and Azula led the village beyond the river, where the flood wouldn't reach them.

"Lee and Mai?" Azula asked as they headed towards the dam to stop Jet. "You seriously reused the names I gave to the guards at Omashu?"

"Hey, I was panicking!"

The two made it over the cliff, seeing Katara and Aang standing by Jet, who was frozen to a tree.

"You don't understand, Katara. We got rid of the Fire Nation. The valley will save!" Jet said.

Sokka spoke up. "It will be safe, without you." In shock, Jet, Katara and Aang looked up to see Sokka, Azula, Appa and Momo.

"Sokka! Azula!" Katara exclaimed.

Azula smirked. "We warned the villagers of your plan, Jet. It's over."

"What?!" Jet shouted.

"At first they didn't believe us. The Fire Nation soldiers assumed were spies. But one man vouched for us, the old man you attacked. He urged them to trust us, and we got everyone out in time." Sokka explained.

"You fools! We could've freed this valley!"

Sokka had a solemn look on his face. "Who would be free? Everyone would be dead."

"The Fire Nation are murderers! How could you help them, Sokka? You should hate them for what they did to your mother." Jet scowled.

"Tell me, Jet, do you think that the entire Fire Nation is evil?" Azula spoke up.

Jet looked surprised. "Of course! They commit unspeakable crimes on the daily! How can you not think of every last one of them as cruel and heartless?"

"I prefer not to consider myself evil." She responded.

"You're Fire Nation?!" Jet's eyes widened.

Azula sent a stream of fire right past his ear. "I am Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. Daughter of Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa. Sister to Crown Prince Zuko, Cousin to Prince Lu Ten, now passed. Niece of the Dragon of The West. Granddaughter of Fire Lord Azulon and Great Granddaughter of Fire Lord Sozin and Avatar Roku, now passed. The only known wielder of the blue flame in recorded Fire Nation history, and don't you ever forget it!"

Katara walked past them, climbing into Appa's saddle. "Let's just go."

Azula, Aang and Sokka climbed in after her, Aang flicking the reins. "Yip Yip."

"Hey Azula, I forgot how good you look in red. It suits you." Katara commented.

"Why, thank you. You flatter me!" Azula stood up and took a mock bow, before losing her balance and falling right on top of Sokka.

"We thought you were going to the dam. How come you went to the town instead?" Aang asked.

Katara laughed. "Let me guess, your instincts told you."

"Hey, sometimes they're right." Sokka said, struggling under Azula's weight on his back.

Azula rolled off and sat up. "You're going the wrong way, you idiot."

Sokka grinned. "And sometimes they're wrong."

**A/N: I'm very sorry it took so long to publish this chapter. I had two projects for school and tons of homework, so I barely had time to write. I will try my best to stick to the schedule from now on, but you will have to forgive me if the chapters go out a little late.**


	19. Chapter 18

"You're infuriating!"

"Katara, why don't you worry about gathering firewood, because that kindling is looking pretty sorry."

Azula rolled her eyes as she approached their makeshift camp. Every time they set their tents, the princess had taken to scouring out the area, checking to see if there were Fire Nation soldiers nearby.

And now, she listened to her siblings arguing for the third time that week. It's no wonder Zuzu keeps finding them.

"Well, if you don't like my firewood-" Katara threw a stick at Sokka.

"Fine by me, if you're not gonna do your job-" Sokka tore down the tent.

"Okay, I got the grub if you guys got the- Hey, where's the campfire? And what happened to the tent?" Aang asked.

Sokka sneered. "Why don't you ask Miss Know-It-All, Queen of the Twigs."

"Oh yeah? Well, you're Mister Lazy Bum, King of the tents!" She threw another stick.

"Okay, okay, break it up." Azula intervened. "You're acting like a bunch of toddlers. Sokka, Katara doesn't need to gather so much firewood, we have firebending, remember?" She shot at the ground, creating an indigo coloured campfire. "And Katara, we really don't the tarp. It's the dry season, it's not going to rain.

Aang laughed nervously. "Okay, listen guys, Azula is right. Harsh words won't solve problems, actions will. Why don't you just switch jobs?"

Katara considered it for a moment before agreeing. "Sounds good."

"You see that? Settling feuds and making peace, all in a day's work for the Avatar." He turned his head to see Appa and Momo fighting over a watermelon. He sliced the fruit with airbending, giving Appa the bigger part. Momo screeched in complaint. "Come on, Momo, that's fair. Appa's got five stomachs."

The next day, the group were standing on the edge of a huge canyon. "There it is, guys, The Great Divide." Aang exclaimed.

"Wow, I could just stare at it forever." Katara said, in awe.

"Okay, I've seen enough."

Katara scoffed. "How can you not be fascinated Sokka? This is the largest canyon in the entire world."

"It's just a bunch of rocks, valleys and creepy crawlers. Trust me, you're gonna be bored soon enough." Azula said.

Sokka nodded. "And I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away."

A man dressed in clean white robes pushed past Sokka, sending him into Azula. "If you're looking for the canyon guide, I was here first!"

"Ooh, canyon guide? Sounds informative." Katara said.

"Believe me, he's more than a tour guide, he's an earthbender, and the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help, and he's taking my tribe across next."

"Calm down, we know you're next." Sokka rolled his eyes.

The man huffed. "You wouldn't be so calm if the Fire Nation destroyed your home and forced you to flee! My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se."

"You're not the only one who suffered, you know." Azula scowled. "Because of the Fire Lord, I was forced to leave everything I knew behind and move halfway across the world. At least you have a tribe."

Katara gave a sad smile and pulled Azula away. She got distracted by seeing a group of people dressed in brown walking towards them. "Is that your tribe?"

The tribesman sneered. "It most certainly is not! That's the Zhang tribe, a bunch of low-life thieves. They've been the enemies of my tribe for a hundred years. Hey, Zhangs! I'm saving a spot for my tribe so don't even think about stealing it!"

"Where are the rest of the Gan Jin? Still tidying up their camp site?" The Zhang leader laughed.

"Yes, but they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot."

"I didn't know the canyon guide took reservations."

"Ha, of course you didn't! That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang. So unorganized and ill-prepared for a journey." The Zhang tribe members yelled out in protest behind them. Katara and Aang looked at each other worriedly, but turned around to see a large pile of rocks being levitated up and thrown away. The canyon guide stood behind where the rocks used to be.

"Sorry about the wait, youngsters. Who's ready to cross this here canyon?"

Katara looked unsure. "Uh, one of them, I think."

"I was here first, my party's on their way." The man said.

The Canyon guide shrugged. "I can't guide people who aren't here." The Zhang tribe filed past the four kids and the fuming man.

"Guess you guys will have to make the trip tomorrow." The Zhang leader mocked.

The man's eyes twitched in anger, before looking over to the canyon entrance. A tribe of people all wearing white and looking clean. The man pointed at them in triumph. "Wait, here they come!"

"You're not seriously gonna cave into these spoiled Gan Jins? I mean we're refugees too! And we've got sick people that need shelter." The Zhang leader argued.

The Canyon guide looked flabbergasted. The man dressed in white cut in. "We've got old people who are weary from traveling."

The Zhang leader countered. "Sick people get priority over old people."

"Maybe you Zhangs wouldn't have so many sick people if you weren't such slobs."

"If you Gan Jins weren't so clean, you wouldn't live to be so old."

Katara looked over to her friend. "Well Aang, ready to put your peace-making

skills to the test?"

"I don't know, a fight over chores is one thing, but these people have been feuding for a hundred years." Aang answered.

"Leave this to me." Azula said, stepping forward and raising her voice. "Everyone listen up! Air Boy over here is the Avatar. If you just shut up and let him talk, I'm sure he can resolve the issue!"

Aang waited until the tribes quieted down. "Uh, you could share the earthbender and travel together?"

The Gan Jin leader shook his head. "Absolutely not! We'd rather be taken by the Fire Nation than travel with those stinking thieves!"

"We wouldn't travel with those pompous fools anyway!" The Zhang leader said, causing the two tribes to start shouting at each other again.

"All right here's the deal, you're all going down together and Appa here will fly your sick and elderly across! Does that seem fair?" Aang shouted. The tribe leader considered this for a moment before nodding and helping their sick and elderly board Appa. "Sorry, Buddy, you'll have to do this on your own."

Sokka approached the Avatar. "Aang, this feuding tribe stuff is serious business. Are you sure it's a good idea getting involved in this?"

Aang grinned. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. But when have I ever been?"

"He's the Avatar, Sokka, making peace between people is his job." Katara smiled.

"His job's gonna make us cross this whole canyon on foot isn't it?" Sokka said in dismay.

"On foot?" Azula groaned. "Why do you always have to lend Appa to other people and force us to walk?"

Katar sighed. "Can you two stop complaining? Aren't you a warrior, Sokka? Surely you can handle a little walking.

"Well, I'm a princess, so Sokka the 'warrior' can carry me!" Azula said, climbing onto Sokka's back.

Sokka frowned. "Seriously, again? Can't Aang carry you sometime?"

"First of all, Aang is twelve. Second of all, you're my big brother and that's what big brother do for their favorite little sisters."

Sokka looked over his shoulder. "We're not even related."

"Shut up and don't ruin the moment." The princess smacked him upside the head.

"Okay, now comes the bad news." The guide started. "No food allowed in the canyon, it attracts dangerous predators."

The tribes yelled in protest, making the guide laugh. "Oh, you babies can go a day without food? Would you rather be hungry, or dead? Now, we're heading down in ten minutes. All food better be in your gut or in the garbage!"

The Zhang tribe quickly whipped out and shoved food into their mouths, which was in stark contrast to the Gan Jin tribe, who ate slowly with chopsticks, dabbing at their lips with napkins.

Aang turned to the people on Appa. "Appa's going to take good care of you 'till we get there. "See you on the other side, buddy! Yip yip!" Appa roared and took off.

Both tribes climbed down into the canyon, Aang and the three siblings following them with Azula still in Sokka's back. The Guide earthbent to form a bridge over a gap in the path.

"Nice bending!" Aang said.

"The job's much more than bending, kid. Folks want information." The guide turned to the travelers. "Many of you are probably wondering how canyons are formed. Experts tell us this canyon was most likely carved into the ground by earth spirits who were angry at local farmers for not offering them a proper sacrifice."

Katara and Sokka looked up in fear as an avalanche of rocks came falling toward them, and the canyon guide earthbent it away from them.

"Heh, guess the spirits are still angry! Hope you all brought sacrifices." The guide chuckled.

The group has just entered the canyon floor. The guide stood in front of the two tribes and the kids. Katara, Aang, Azula and Sokka looked at each other in exasperation.

"Okay, everyone stand clear of the wall." The guide threw a boulder and destroyed the bridge he had made earlier.

Aang looked confused. "Why'd you do that?"

"These people are fleeing the Fire Nation, aren't they? Gotta make sure we can't be followed. We'll be safe now." His speech got interrupted by a huge animal that picked him up. Aang blew the dust away to reveal a Canyon Crawler.

Sokka threw Azula a serious look, making her climb off his back. "We gotta help him!" He threw his boomerang at the crawler, which dropped the canyon guide and came after Sokka instead. "Okay, now we gotta help me!" Katara came to his aid and water whipped the crawler, but quickly got thrown aside, Azula rushing to help her. Aang jumped down and sent multiple blasts of air at the crawler, driving it away.

Aang looked at the guide. "What was that?"

"A Canyon crawler." The guide groaned in pain. "And there's sure to be more!"

"Your arms, they're broken!" Katara exclaimed.

"Without my arms, I got no bending. In other words-"

"We're trapped in this canyon." Aang said, horrified.

"I thought the whole point of ditching our food was so we wouldn't have to deal with things like canyon crawlers." Sokka said.

"It's the Zhangs! They took food down here even after the canyon guide told them not to." The Gan Jin leader shouted.

The Zhang leader looked appalled. "What? If there's anyone who can't go without food for a day, it's you pampered Gan Jins!"

"I hope you're happy. We're stuck in this canyon with no way out."

"Why don't you thank yourself, food hider?"

"Look, sticking together is the only way to-" Aang tried.

"I'm not walking another step with the likes of them!"

"Now there's something we can agree on."

"Any ideas?" Aang asked the guide, exasperated.

"No bending...we need to get out of this canyon...I won't die down here! I won't become part of the food chain!" The guide started hyperventilating.

"See! We're going to become part of the food chain because of you!" The Gan Jin leader pointed to the Zhangs.

"Sure, unjustly blame the Zhangs like you always do!"

"Enough!" The Avatar shouted angrily. "I thought I could help you guys get along, but I guess that's not gonna happen. We should split up, Gan Jins on this side and Zhangs on that side. We'll travel in two separate lines." The two leaders nodded at each other and started walking. Aang looked to the three siblings. "Sokka, you go with the Zhangs. Katara, you go with the Gan Jins. See if you can find out why they hate each other so much. Azula come with me."

That night, Aang and Azula sat on the narrow strip of land between the two paths.

Momo sat in Azula's lap, the princess stroking him affectionately.

"Sure would be nice to be sitting around one of those campfires, telling stories and laughing." Aang sighed. Momo chittered in agreement. The airbender leaned over to scratch behind the lemur's ears. "Its okay Momo, we'll be out of here soon enough, and then we can eat our weight in leechi nuts!"

Momo jumped up and snatched a bug out of the air, he ate part of it before offering the rest to Aang.

Azula laughed. "And until then we can eat both our weight in bugs!"

The Canyon guide slowly approached the pair. "Lonely isn't it, being impartial?"

"I wish I could help these people get along, but it just seems impossible. Anyhow, I guess our biggest problem is getting out of here.

The guide nodded. "I'm not so sure the two problems are unrelated."

"Honestly, I find this feud rather ridiculous." Azula spoke up. "The two tribes aren't so different. They think that they are separate because the Gan Jin are clean freaks and the Zhang are slobs, but in reality they are just two parts of the same whole."

"Those are wise words for someone your age." The guide said.

Azula shook her head. "I sound just like my uncle."

Aang looked away sadly, trying to figure out how to solve the feud. Azula put a comforting hand on his shoulder, making him smile in appreciation.

The next morning, the tribes gathered together. The Canyon Guide stood before them. "All clear, we're almost to the other side."

Aang and Azula jumped down next to Katara and Sokka, Azula following suit. "Katara, Sokka, will these people cooperate long enough to get out of the canyon?"

Katara shook her head. "I don't think so, Aang, the Zhangs really wronged the Gan Jins. They ambushed Jin Wei and stole the sacred orb."

Aang looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Yeah Katara, what are you talking about? Wei Jin didn't steal the orb, he was returning it to their village gate and was wrongfully punished by the Gan Jin." Sokka argued.

"Not punished enough if you ask me." Katara scoffed.

"I'm just going to pretend like I know what's going on." Azula said, raising her hands in surrender and walking off to talk to the guide.

"Okay, okay I get it! Now I need your help, I need everyone together at the base of the canyon wall." He took off on his glider and landed between the two tribes. "Please everyone, as soon as we get out of here we can eat and then go our separate ways, but I need you all to put your heads together and figure out a way up this cliff."

The Gan Jin leader smirked. "Maybe the Zhang can climb the wall with their long disgusting fingernails."

"Oh sorry, I forgot that to the Gan Jin unclipped fingernails is a crime punishable by twenty years in jail!" The Zhang leader responded.

"Why, you dirty thief!"

"You pompous fool!"

The tribes began to argue loudly again, accompanied by Katara and Sokka. Azula and Aang stood off to the side. Aang threw Azula a pleading look, the princess nodding determinedly.

"Guys, focus! How many times do I have to say it? Harsh words won't solve problems, action will!" Aang shouted.

"Perhaps the Avatar is right." The Zhang leader pondered.

"Yes, perhaps he is." The Gan Jin leader agreed.

"Harsh words will never solve our problems, actions will!" The two leaders spoke in unison before brandishing their swords and clashing the blades.

"To the death! And let this be the end of this rivalry!"

Aang shook his head. "You know, I take it back. Harsh words aren't so bad!"

The two leaders ignored him as they began to fight. They were evenly matched, and continues until Aang blew them apart with a strong gust of air. The two tribes went flying backward, revealing a large amount of hidden food.

"Is that food? Everyone smuggled food down here? Unbelievable! You guys put our lives in danger because you couldn't go without a snack for a day? You're all awful!" He looked in wonder at a custard tart, and his stomach growled. "So hungry. Is that an egg custard in that tart?"

Suddenly, dozens of Canyon Crawlers climbed over the rocks. Katara looked alarmed. "Oh no, that's a lot of canyon crawlers."

Sokka pulled out his boomerang. "We barely survived one!"

The Canyon guide shook with anxiety. "They're coming back for me! They've had a taste and they're coming back for me!"

"Azula? I think it's time to bring out the firebending." Sokka said, making both tribes gasp in surprise.

The princess ignored them. "I was waiting for you to say that!"

She leaped forward, unleashing a wave of flame upon the Canyon Crawlers. Some of the bugs caught on fire, while the others persisted the attack.

"I can't fight all of them!" Azula exclaimed, sending a few more fireballs their way. "We have to get out of here!"

"Everybody, watch me and do what I do!" Aang shouted. He distracted a crawler with a piece of food, leapt on its back, and threw a bag over its snout. The two tribes mimicked him, working together. "Now follow me! We're riding out of this hole!"

The Crawlers started their ascent up the mountain, the tribes riding on their backs. Azula stayed at the bottom, sending fire to urge the bugs on. Once everyone arrived safely, Aang threw the food bag down, the Crawlers following it. Azula propelled herself in the air with bursts of blue flame, landing next to Katara.

"I never thought a Gan Jin could get his hands dirty like that." The Zhang leader chuckled.

The Gan Jin leader smiled pleasantly. "And I never knew you Zhangs were so reliable in a pinch."

"Perhaps we're not so different after all." The leader smiled at each other, making Aang sigh in relief.

"Too bad we can't rewrite history. You thieves stole our sacred orb from Jin Wei!" The Gan Jin pulled out his weapon.

The Zhang leader drew her sword. "You tyrants unjustly imprisoned Wei Jin for twenty long years!"

"Wait a second...Jin Wei? Wei Jin? I know those guys!" Aang spoke up.

The Gan Jin leader rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, we're all aware of the story."

"No, I mean I really knew them. I might not look it, but I'm a hundred and twelve years old. I was there one hundred years ago on the day you're talking about. There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened. First of all, Jin Wei and Wei Jin weren't enemies. They were brothers, twins in fact, and they were eight; and most importantly, they were just playing a game! The sacred orb from the legend, that was the ball! And the eastern and western gates were the goal posts. Jin Wei had the ball and was running toward the goal when he fell and fumbled it. Wei Jin didn't steal the ball, he picked it up and started running it toward the other goal, but he stepped out of bounds, so the official put him in the penalty box. Not for twenty long years but for two short minutes. There was no stealing and no putting anyone in prison, it was just a game."

The Zhang leader looked confused. "You're saying the sacred orb was actually a sacred ball?"

Aang shook his head. "Nope, just a regular ball."

"What about our tribe's redemption ritual?" The Gan Jin leader asked.

"That's what the game was called, redemption. As soon as you got the ball

from one end to the other, everyone would yell "redemption"! Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kind of a slob and Jin Wei was a little stuffy, that much is true. But they respected each other's differences enough to share the same playing field."

"I suppose it's time we forget the past." The Zhang leader bowed.

The Gan Jin leader bowed back. "And look to the future."

Appa landed right next to them at that moment. Aang ran up to him excitedly. "Good to see you, boy. Did you miss me?"

The Gan Jin leader approached the airbender. "I cannot thank you enough, Avatar."

Appa licked Aang, leaving him covered in slobber from head to toe. "Well, you know I try."

The leader recoiled in disgust. "Ugh!"

The two tribes stood together at the exit of the Canyon. The Zhang leader turned to face the people. "Let us travel to the Earth Kingdom capital as one tribe!" The people cheered as they started to walk away.

The Canyon guide ran after them. "I'm going too! I'm sick of this place!"

Sokka looked at the Avatar. "That's some luck you knew Jin Wei and Wei Jin."

"You could call it luck. Or you could call it lying." Aang grinned.

"What?" Sokka looked shocked.

"I made the whole thing up." The airbender Said.

"You did not!" Katara exclaimed. "That is so wrong."

"Oh no! You can't say anything about this situation, Miss Stealing-Is-Wrong-Unless-Its-From-Pirates." Azula placed her hands on her hips.

Aang laughed. "Now where is that custard tart? I'm starving!"

**A/N: I'm so sorry that this chapter is so late. It was SAT Week and I was super busy. I will try to post at least two chapter over the half term break. Thank you for your patience.**

**I apologize to the Azutara shippers but this story is going to be Kataang. Azula and Katara have such a nice sibling like bond and I'm not sure I could turn it into a romantic relationship. Believe me, I ship Azutara too, but I feel like it's not right for this story.**

**-AvatarNia**


	20. Chapter 19

Azula got startled out of her sleep by Aang, who shot upright out of his sleeping bag and was gasping for air. The sudden movement made Momo leap onto Katara, waking her up. From there he jumped onto Sokka's face and flew over to settle in Azula's lap.

Sokka jumped out of bed, wielding his boomerang. "What's going on? Did we get captured again?"

"It's nothing. I just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep." Aang said, laying back down.

Sokka shrugged. "Don't have to tell me twice."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Azula looked worried. "I know what it's like to have nightmares and it helps to talk about them."

"You guys want to hear about my dream?" Sokka asked, causing his sisters to glare at him. "That's okay. I didn't want to talk about it anyway."

The next morning the group were busy packing their things onto Appa. Aang sat on the bison's head, looking at the blue sky overhead.

"Look at those clear skies, buddy! Should be some smooth flying."

"I don't think so." Azula said. "There's a storm coming."

"A storm? There's not even a cloud!" Sokka snorted.

Azula rolled her eyes. "I have been trained in battle strategies since before I knew what the words meant. Part of that training was knowing if the weather conditions allow for smooth sailing. I can spot a storm before it's even brewing."

"Really? How can you tell?" Aang asked excitedly.

"The air is damper than it usually is around these parts and the wind is blowing from the north- No wait, north east. Given the time of year, the wind will bring storm clouds and the typhoon will start sometime in mid afternoon."

"You're good." Katara looked impressed. "But we still have to fly to the market because we're out of food."

"Guys, wait. This was in my dream. We shouldn't go to the market." Sokka said.

"What happened in your dream?" Katara asked.

"Food eats people!" Sokka exclaimed, making his sisters look at him as if he was crazy. "Also, Momo could talk. You said some very unkind things." Momo's ears drooped.

The group flew to a seaside hamlet built on the side of a cliff face, the roofs all teal-green. A collection of houses sat back from the waterfront, where a row of warehouses adjoined the docks. Among the several ships moored on the town's piers was Appa, floating in the water by himself. Katara, stood in front of a small merchant's stand, eyeing a watermelon.

"Ahhh, it's good. It's perfect, I'm telling you!" The merchant woman scowled.

Katara shook the watermelon, which emitted a sloshing sound. "I don't know if I like the sound of that swishing."

The merchant woman moved around the stall to stand next to Katara. "Swishing means it's ripe! It's the ripe juices swishing around, eh?"

Aang took a step towards the Water Tribe girl. "I think it's true, Katara. Swishing means it's ripe."

"I just realized we're out of money anyway." Katara put the watermelon back.

The shopkeeper groaned in annoyance and grabbed the fruit basket from Sokka. Azula sneered at her brother and smacked him upside the head. "How did you forget that we were out of money?"

"Since when is money my responsibility?" Sokka asked.

"Since you're always claiming that you're the oldest and the 'wittiest' so I assumed that handling money is your job." Azula crossed her arms.

Sokka looked flabbergasted. "Well, you're right about the oldest and the wittiest part but money is Katara's job! She's the mother hen out of the four of us!"

"Hey! Don't rope me into this!" Katara exclaimed.

"Okay, okay, stop arguing!" Aang intervened. "Fighting won't bring us more money."

"He's right. And that's why I'm going to get a job." Sokka said determinedly.

"A job? That's not a half bad-" Azula got interrupted by a couple arguing on a dock not to far from them.

"We shouldn't go out there! Please, the fish can wait. There's going to be a terrible storm." The woman said, making Azula give Sokka an 'I told you so' look.

"You're crazy, it's a nice day. No clouds, no rain, no nothing. So quit your nagging, woman."

"My joints say there's going to be a storm! A bad one."

"Well, it's your joints against my brain!"

"She's right, you know." Azula spoke up. "There's gonna be a typhoon."

The fisherman groaned. "Great, another one. What, are you joints telling you that, too?"

Azula was about to respond when the fisherman's wife cut in. "I hope your brain can find someone else to haul that fish, 'cause I ain't coming."

"Then I'll find a new fish hauler and pay him double what you get!" The fisherman shouted.

"I'll go." Sokka raised his hand.

"You're hired!"

At Azula and Katara's raised eyebrows, Sokka shrugged. "I wanted to get a job and this guy is paying double."

"Double?" The fisherman exclaimed. "Who told you that nonsense? Stop talking and load the supplies into the boat."

Aang looked unsure. "Sokka, maybe this isn't such a good idea. You heard what Azula and the fisherman's wife said."

"We need money, I'm not going to give up a job because of some old joints or because Azula just happens to be a walking strategy machine." Sokka said.

"The boy with the tattoos has some sense. You should listen to him." The fisherman's wife nodded.

"Boy with tattoos?" The fisherman turned around to look at Aang. "Airbender tattoos. Well, I'll be a hog monkey's uncle. You're the Avatar, ain't ya?"

"That's right." Katara smiled.

"Well, don't be so smiley about it." The sudden change in tone made Azula, Aang and Katara frown. "The Avatar disappeared for a hundred years! You turned your back on the world!"

Katara looked angry. "Don't yell at him! Aang would never turn his back on anyone."

"Oh, he wouldn't, huh? Then I guess I just have imagined the last hundred years of war and suffering." Aang's eyes widened.

"Aang is the bravest person I know. He's done nothing but help people and

save lives since I met him. It's not his fault he disappeared, right Aang?" Katara turned around to see Aang backing away. "Aang, what's wrong?"

With a look of shock and horrified guilt on his face, Aang opened his glider and flew into the air, rapidly disappearing into the distance.

"That's right! Keep flying!" The fisherman shouted after him.

Azula threw him a dirty look before grabbing Katara by the arm, jumping onto Appa and flying after the airbender.

Later, Katara and Azula were flying through the rain, looking for Aang. Katara spotted a cave in the side of the cliff. Appa landed, the sisters hopping off and finding Aang sitting in the darkness, alone.

"I'm sorry for running away." He said quietly.

Azula sat next to him. "It's not your fault. That fisherman was crazy."

"No, he was right. It is my fault."

"You want to talk about it?" Katara asked.

Aang sighed. "It's kind of a long story."

"We have plenty of time." Azula said, sending a burst of flame at the ground. Katara and Azula huddled close to Aang around the indigo campfire.

Aang took a deep breath and started his story. "I'll never forget the day everything changed. I was playing with some other kids just outside the South Wall. I was trying to teach them how to do the air scooter. Then the monks cam and said they needed to talk to me. That's when they told me that I was the Avatar."

"I thought that the Avatar is supposed to be told of their identity at sixteen?" Azula interrupted.

"They knew that the war was going to start." Aang explained. "That's why they told me earlier. After they told me who I was, none of the other kids played with me. They said it was unfair because I had an advantage."

Azula groaned. "And once again my great grandfather ruined everything."

"The monks made me train more, and when Monk Gyatso insisted that I needed time to be a normal kid, they decided to send me to the Eastern Air Temple."

"That must have been awful." Katara said. "They separated you from your best friend."

Aang closed his eyes.. "But they didn't, Katara. I ran away before they could. Then, Appa and I got caught in a storm and I passed out. The next thing I remember was seeing your face after Azula slapped me."

Azula looked out into the rain. "You and I aren't so different after all. We both ran away from home with the world thinking we died."

"Huh?" Aang looked at her.

"We never told you the story of how exactly Azula ended up living with us, did we?" Katara asked.

Aang shook his head. "All I know is that Azula is Fire Lord Ozai's daughter and that she moved to the South Pole when you guys were kids. No one told me the rest of the story."

"I suppose it's time you knew." Azula started, looking into the blue fire before her. "This happened only a few months after my mother disappeared and my father became Fire Lord. After he was crowned, Ozai fired all my firebending masters and started teaching me himself. He was always rather...intense during training."

Katara placed a comforting hand on Azula's shoulder. The princess let out a shaky breath and continued.

"I often couldn't walk after lessons. Scrapes and bruises became a common occurrence. And when I failed a move, my father...well…" Azula trailed off.

Aang looked at her expectantly. Azula swallowed the bile that came up in her throat. "It never went as far as Zuko's scar, but it still hurt like hell. Of course, it's all healed over now. Not a trace left of what he did to me."

The airbender's eyes widened. "Azula, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, you didn't know." Azula said. "You know how last night I said that I have nightmares too? They're about my father. That's why I was so angry when you went to that stupid ship in the South Pole. I can't let him find me. The burns may have healed but it's the mental scars that stay for a long time."

Suddenly, Azula was pulled into a hug by both Aang and Katara. The princess smiled in appreciation. "And then my Uncle Iroh realized what my father was doing. He knew Katara's grandmother form when they were young, so he called in a favor. I moved to the South Pole and my father was told that I was dead."

The moment was interrupted by the fisherman's wife, who ran into the cave soaked to the bone. "They haven't returned! My husband and the boy, they should have been back by now! And this storm is becoming a typhoon! They're caught out at sea!"

Aang hopped onto Appa. "I'm going to find him!"

"I'm going with you!" Katara said.

The fisherman's wife plopped by the campfire. "I'm staying here."

"Azula, can you stay with her?" Aang asked.

"Sure." Azula shrugged. "There's no way I'm going out into that storm."

Aang and Katara flew away, leaving Azula with the fisherman's wife. The woman had a worried expression on her face.

"They're going to find them."

The woman turned to Azula. "How can you be so sure?"

"I know my sister like I know my own mind." Azula said. "She has helped me so many times in my life, and so has Aang. Believe me, you will never find anyone as trusting and kind as Katara."

"You're the girl who knew that the storm was coming." The woman said. "That boy should listen to you more often. You're smart. How old are you, fifteen? Sixteen?"

"Fourteen."

"Only fourteen? You're very mature for you age." The woman looked surprised.

"Thanks." Azula laughed. "It's the trauma."

The sky cleared up and soon Appa returned, carrying not only Aang and Katara but Sokka and the fisherman too.

"When are you gonna learn that you should listen to me? I told you there's gonna be a typhoon!" Azula berated Sokka once he jumped off the bison, her facial expression turning from anger to one of relief. "I was worried."

Sokka smiled sheepishly and hugged her. "Sorry I scared you, little sis."

"I wasn't scared! I just said I was worried!" Azula exclaimed.

"And the old Azula is back." Sokka laughed, ruffling her hair.

Even though Azula huffed in indignation at the gesture, she couldn't help but laugh along with her brother.

**A/N: So, the half term break plan didn't go as I'd hoped. I promise you that this story will not be abandoned. There is always a new chapter on the way!**


	21. Chapter 20

Inside one of the ruined buildings in a ruined city among a vast mountain range, Sokka was huddled in his sleeping bag, lying against Appa. The boy was coughing and sweat gathered on his face.

Katara pressed a wet rag to his forehead. "This should bring your fever down."

"You know what I love about Appa the most?" Sokka said in a dazed voice. "His sense of humor!"

"That's nice. I'll tell him." Katara said.

Azula sat by a campfire not too far away from Appa, hugging her legs with her chin resting on her knees. She sighed. "I wish I knew how to read energy so I could figure out how to fix it."

Katara looked over to her. "Read energy?"

"Using firebending to go over the chi points in someone's body." Azula let a blue flame dance on her fingertips. "It's a skill some Fire Sages learn and it could really come in handy considering how many fights we get in."

"How's Sokka doing?" Aang asked, walking into the house.

Appa growls.

"Not so good, being out in that storm really did a number on him." Katara shook her head.

"I couldn't find any ginger root for the tea. But I found a map. There's an herbalist institute on top of that mountain. We could probably find a cure for Sokka there." Aang suggested.

"Aang, he's in no condition for travel. Sokka just needs more rest. I'm sure he'll be better by tomorrow-" Katara got cut off by a coughing fit.

Aang's eyes widened. "Not you too!"

"Relax, it was just a little cough. I'm fi-" She coughed again, this time with greater force.

"That's how Sokka started yesterday. Now look at him! He thinks he's an earthbender!" Aang exclaimed.

"Take that, you rock!" Sokka said deliriously, flailing his arms around.

"She must have spent too much time next to Sokka and ended up catching it." Azula groaned.

"Then why aren't you sick?" Aang asked. "You spent plenty of time next to him too."

Azula thought for a moment. "Maybe I caught the same virus when I was living in the Fire Nation so now I'm immune to it?"

"I guess that makes sense. Anyway, in a few hours Katara is going to start talking nonsense as well, so I better go find a cure." Aang grabbed his glider just as a flash of lightning struck outside. "Uh, maybe it's safer to go on foot."

"Wait, Aang!" Azula grabbed the map. "The map says that the Pohuai stronghold isn't too far away from here. That's Zhao's fort. Please, be careful."

"Okay. If I'm not back in two hours, you can go looking for me." And with that, Aang ran off.

Katara bundled into her sleeping bag, coughing more continuously now. Azula placed a wet rag onto her forehead, making her sister smile in appreciation.

"Don't worry. Aang will be back soon with the medicine." Azula said in a soothing voice.

But two hours passed and Aang wasn't back. Azula stared into the rain worryingly, glancing over to her siblings. Both her siblings were sleeping in their sleeping bags. After a moment of hesitation, she grabbed the map and went out into the rain.

She climbed the path leading up to the herbalist institution. Once she reached the entrance a white cat rubbed against her legs. Azula leaned down and scratched the cat behind the ears, looking up to see an elderly woman standing in front of her.

Azula stood up straight. "Excuse me, have you seen a boy with arrow tattoos going through here about two hours ago?"

The woman nodded, so Azula continued. "Do you know where he went?"

"Down the mountain. That's where he got knocked down and some soldiers dragged him off."

"The Pohuai stronghold. Thank you!" Azula said, leaving the institution and running down the mountain.

Once she reached the fort, she saw a dozen archers lining the top of the wall, their arrows trained in different directions. Aang was definitely inside, otherwise the fort wouldn't be so protected.

Azula scaled a tree to get a better look inside the fort. It was rather small, with the archers being the only major line of protection. There weren't any soldiers inside the walls, most of them were probably inside, guarding Aang.

Azula picked up a rock and threw at a tree on the other side of the fort. The rock cracked a few branches and landed in a pile of crunchy leaves. The archers reacted to the noise and moved the arrows in the direction of the rock.

That gave Azula just enough time to push off the tree and land silently inside the walls. She rushed towards a ladder, scrambling up and climbing inside a window.

She took a deep breath. Who knew that crazy plan would work? There was a huge chance an arrow would have pierced her heart at the slightest misstep. But now was not the time to think bout it. She had to find Aang.

Azula tiptoes into a hallway which seemed suspiciously empty. There was only one door on the left side of the hallway. The princess walked up to it and reached to open it, when the door swung outward revealing Aang and Zuko, who was wearing a ridiculous blue mask.

"Azula!" Aang started, but the girl shushed him.

"Let's get out of here." She narrowed her eyes at Zuko.

The three quietly ran through the corridors, past the tied up guard that Zuko must have ambushed. Suddenly, they heard a low croaking sound.

"Wait!" Aang stopped abruptly. "Sokka and Katara need to suck on those frogs!"

"Wha- Nevermind! You'll get more later!" Azula said, dragging him with her.

Zuko, Azula and Aang made it into the courtyard, where they were immediately surrounded by soldiers, including Zhao.

"And who do we have here? Little lost princess Azula came to rescue her friend. Too bad you won't be able to get out of here alive."

"That's what you think!" Aang shouted, airbending a huge dust cloud around them. The three ran to the inner gate, which was already closing, as were the two gates behind them. So,diers gathered in front of it, making Zuko unsheath his dual swords and Azula ignite flames in her hands.

Aang airbent a blast of air that knocked the soldiers down, making it to the gate along with Azula, but Zuko had to stop to fend off advancing men.

Azula grit her teeth but send a fireball at the soldiers, knocking them back. She grabbed Zuko by the arm and dragged him through the inner gate.

The three were surrounded in the second courtyard. Soldiers were advancing and the gates were steadily closing.

"Aang, run ahead!" Azula whispered to him. "We'll hold them off."

Aang nodded and airbent himself to the outer wall, knocking down the archers. Zuko and Azula stood back to back, slashing spears and burning soldiers. Once a path cleared, the two rushed through into the outer courtyard just as the gate into the forest closed.

Azula assessed the situation. The gates were closed and the soldiers won't hesitate to attack them again. There was only one way out of the fort, and that was over the wall. She could get over with firebending, but Aang wouldn't forgive her if she left his savior to the soldiers.

With a deep feeling of resentment, Azula extended a hand to Zuko. She could nearly feel his confusion behind the mask.

"Trust me." She urged. "For once in your life just trust me!"

He grunted, but took her hand nonetheless. She pulled him closer and propelled them in the air and over the wall.

Aang landed next to them. "You two okay?"

"Not now!" Azula shouted, already running from the fort, Zuko and Aang following behind her.

They ran without stopping until they were far away enough for Zhao's soldiers to stop pursuing them. The three slowed down, catching their breath. Azula and Zuko share a look.

The former turned to Aang. "Go on, Aang. Don't you have some frogs to gather?"

Aang nodded with realization. "Right, the frogs! But what about you?"

"I'll catch up later." Azula waved him off.

Aang ran to the moor to gather the frozen frogs for spirits know what reason. Azula wiped sweat from her forehead, turning to Zuko.

"You can take off that ridiculous mask now. I know it's you."

Zuko removed the mask. "How did you know?"

"You were always the Blue Spirit when we were acting out Love amongst Dragons as kids. Guess you never grew out of the costume." Azula answered.

"Thanks for helping me out back there, I guess." Zuko rubbed the back of his neck.

"Why did you rescue Aang in the first place?" Azula asked. "Actually, don't answer that. I know why you did it. You want to be the one to deliver Aang to father to restore your honor. You couldn't let Zhao have the glory."

Zuko scowled. "I hope you don't think that you helping me means I'll leave the Avatar alone. It means nothing! We're still on opposite sides of the war. Don't even think that I will call a truce."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Azula glared. With that, she turned and ran back to their camp in the old ruins.

Azula entered the run down building to see Katara and Sokka sucking on frogs. She was going to question it, but realized that the recent battle had tired her out.

She saw Aang already curled up in his sleeping bag, so she followed his example and plopped down onto her own, the conversation with Zuko still fresh on her mind.


End file.
